Chimera
by sixillusion
Summary: ON HIATUS - Allen Walker steps through the gates of the secretive Black Order Academy to be enrolled, quietly seeking a better life. It's just too bad that the school has other ideas. A Horror Boarding School AU, based off Aphorism (manga). Rated T for violence and disturbing themes.
1. Arrival

**For new readers: **Hi! This fic is currently being rewritten so it doesn't suck as bad. It still updates though. Bear in mind that I started this some two years ago and two years ago I was a huge idiot. Sorry about that.

**For old readers: **Welcome back. *touched into tears* I'll continue the updates after I'm done with chapters three and four, ok? Sorry about that.

**D. Gray-man and its characters do not belong to me.**

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><p><strong>Chimera<strong>:

A fanciful mental illusion or fabrication.

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><p>Arrival<p>

Beta-ed by **aKiy0z**

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><p>I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.<p>

-Dalai Lama

* * *

><p>Allen Walker was highly unusual in many ways. His head of white hair at the still tender age of fifteen; his startlingly large appetite; his atypical personality never failed to raise stares.<p>

And then there was his scar, long and deliberate, snaking down from his forehead through his left eye and ending on his cheek.

This highly unusual, snow-haired protagonist of the story had found himself in the care of one man just as strange, following his adoption.

Marian Cross was a truly peculiar man.

Allen had thought so all along, but now, he knew for sure, that he had finally grasped the magnitude of Cross's weirdness.

He was just _crazy_.

For why else would he even bring up sending Allen to a boarding _school_, an actual institute of _education_, after so many years of subjecting him to nothing but the rough equivalent of slavery? How did he even rack up debts that fast?

Not that he wouldn't be happy to get away from that guy, obviously. The only things that amazed him about the man were his ability to rack up debts so fast that it would be considered a talent, and the fact that Allen felt more like a slave rather than an actual adopted child after so many years. Cross didn't need to know how diligently he prayed to be free from the grasp of his heartless adopter every night.

It had been a perfectly normal evening. Allen had been engaging in a heated, although one-sided discussion with the cupboard glass over some trivial matter when Cross decided it was time to finally go all out and proclaim the exact level of his insanity to the world.

'Idiot.'

The young man had unwisely decided to ignore Cross.

'Idiot.'

Still no response.

BAM.

'AAAARRRGGGG WHAT THE FU-'

'-I signed you up for school.'

'THAT REALLY HUR- huh?' Allen stopped clutching his head and looked at Cross.

_D-Did my ears just pick up the words 'school'? Did Cross actually decide that I needed wholesome education instead of the shit he's been putting me through? No that's not possible. Absolutely not. I mean like c'mon, he's Marian frickin' Cross for fu-_

'Follow this map tomorrow.' A sheet of paper and a train ticket delicately flitted this way and that, before finally landing on the head of one very stunned boy. Who promptly knocked over a bottle of wine in his haste to stand up and check Cross's brain for maggots.

_Ah, Romanée-Conti, considered to be one of the finest and most expensive red wines in the world. Cross's preferred indulgent drink._

_And the bloody thing is now flooding the ants on the floor. Oh no._

Allen attempted a sheepish grin at Cross. 'Oops?'

Cross hit his head spot-on, and the boy went falling into the realms of unconsciousness.

.

.

.

Allen woke up the next day and realized that he was late for the train. Cursing silently, he rushed to prepare his belongings at record speed. Thankfully there wasn't much, mostly because Cross never gave him much to begin with. He choked down some stale bread before bolting out of the shack.

* * *

><p>He was almost there! Almost – why did they have to build this school all the way up there? Allen continued to climb up the cliff.<p>

* * *

><p>The entire Disciplinary Committee was feeling highly restless. After all, it <em>was<em> breakfast time and the cafeteria _was_ serving _the _highly anticipated Wednesday's specials, which meant limited portions of sausages today. However, all 28 members stood rooted to the ground, crowding around the monitor screens, two of which were beaming back live footage of a certain boy's progress on the cliff. Yet, even as they pushed and shoved each other, each prefect made sure that a wide gap remained between them and the Head Prefect.

The Head Prefect happened to be another anomaly. He was merciless, picky to the point where it drove people insane, had an uncanny knack for giving the most offensive insults and nicknames, and possessed hair so long and silky he could probably do hair commercials without the extra lighting.

Yu Kanda was yet another abnormally large crease in the blankets of life.

The only person who had gained some degree of understanding behind how this oddity walked and talked and ticked was the Vice Prefect. She was also the only one who actually attempted to do so, though.

Lenalee Lee did not like to give up.

The aforementioned girl pointed to one of the screens everyone was gaping at.

"Kanda, shouldn't you go and help that boy up?"

Kanda glanced at prefect Chaoji, who immediately scampered off and reappeared in screen four soon after.

* * *

><p>Allen looked over at the edge of the cliff. It seemed so devoid of human life, so isolated. Yet never had the wind seemed so alive as here, dancing its lithe fingers lightly over the leaves, the grass, his hair and his clothes, making them flutter and ripple. He felt a strong, almost magnetic force pull him towards the strangest structure - a delicate arch constructed of some unknown material, with a highly detailed, richly patterned curtain of sorts hanging over it, never moving with the breeze, instead slowly swinging to a rather hypothesizing rhythm. Unable to help himself, Allen approached the arch slowly, and took note of these words etched onto it:<p>

_Black Order Private Boarding Academy_

_Once you step forward, never look back._

__He stepped back and looked for another entrance, but entire area was surrounded by a wall, as far as he would walk.

_Well, at least I know that's the correct place._

__The curtain was now swinging back and forth in a relaxing fashion, as though beckoning Allen to step through it.

And the boy followed the wind, parting the curtain at last and stepping through the arch.

.

.

.

* * *

><p>Allen found himself following a boy who had hurriedly introduced himself as Chaoji. The later had stammered out a hello and was currently in the process of leading Allen to the Prefect's lounge. <em>Oh, here it is<em>, he thought. _The lounge_. _Sure sounds inviting_.

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><p>Allen opened the door and stepped in to find a sword pointed directly at the bridge of his nose. Chaoji seemed to have melted entirely into the shadows, so he gingerly stepped back.<p>

'Beansprout, what were you doing?' A sharp voice broke the silence. Boy, it sure didn't sound happy.

'I-I was uh, you know, getting my morning exercise– c-can you put down that sword first?"

'You were defiling our school grounds and showing total disregard for your conduct.'

'Why would that - Put down that sword!'

The source of the Allen's current crisis then stepped out into the light and revealed himself. He had this ridiculously long girly black hair and was still somehow looking extremely menacing.

_Hang on – long black hair?_ Allen vaguely remembered 'long black hair' from his orphanage days.

_Could it be-?_

"K-Kanda? Is that you?"

Kanda's eyes widened for a moment. "Who the hell are you?"

Allen stared. _Yes, it has to be him. No other boy would keep that hair that way. Who knew Ba-Kanda had grown into such a pretty-boy? And he had always been somewhat grumpy. And-_

"Cut out that grin, Beansprout." Kanda scowled, preparing to slice Allen into a million pieces and-

'KANDA! STOP!' A girl with twin pigtails appeared next to the Head Prefect.

'Why are you always so violent?'

'How is that any of your business?'

He was returned with multiple hits with the clipboard in the girl's hands.

Halting the attempt to end Allen's life then and there, Kanda rubbed his head and began to emit a deadly aura that could ensure Earth's absolute defense against extraterrestrial attacks, narrowing his eyes at the girl.

Who ignored the probably-life-threatening-concentrated-Kanda-radiation-waves and smiled at Allen. "Nice to meet you," She glanced at her clipboard, "Allen. My name is Lenalee."

'…Hi.' Said Allen weakly.

"You know, we have elevators for that."

* * *

><p>Lenalee's voice echoed around the needlessly large corridor. 'Eh? You really know Kanda?'<p>

Allen scratched his head awkwardly. 'It seems unbelievable, but we were in the same orphanage a while back. I would say that I'm glad to see him again, but…'

Lenalee patted his shoulder condolingly. 'Don't worry, he's not like this every day. I think. Besides, do you know someone named Lavi? He said the same thing.'

'Lavi? You mean, uh, red hair, eyepatch, kind of weird?'

'That's right.'

'Ah.'

Weird people were meeting up with each other at a truly alarming rate as of late.

* * *

><p>White Class Headmaster Komui Lee was getting highly excited. He had always wanted to do this. It would be like achieving a major milestone in life. Almost there – almost –<p>

Lenalee and Allen walked into the office. Komui swung around in his chair to face them, mouth set in a straight line in all seriousness and the upper half of his face darkened by deliberate lighting.

"I've been waiting for you."

.

.

.

"Lenalee~! Your brother missed you! Did that Kanda do anything funny to you? Lavi? Or," Komui's eyes found a dumbstruck Allen, "this suspicious looking boy?"

Lenalee seemed bored by this. She chanted, "No, Brother, Kanda, Lavi, and Allen here didn't do anything to me."

After Lenalee's insistence that no one came within one meter of her, Komui finally calmed down and sat back on his armchair. He glanced at the clipboard.

"Allen Walker, is it? Mr. Cross Marian has enrolled you in this school and paid your full school fee-"

Allen promptly fell off his chair.

"He actually paid my school fee? My full-"

Komui pushed up his spectacles. "Yes, he did. You will be penalized, as seeing your little stunt-"Allen fidgeted uncomfortably, "-and please note that as with all schools, we have school rules, and by enrolling in this school you are to abide by all of these rules. "

Allen nodded profusely, privately thinking that Komui probably did not abide by any rules.

"Ah, since you have half the day left, you can get yourself a uniform. Also, you can take a look at your room, which you're sharing with another student. Here's the school map, and list of things to do." Komui handed Allen two pieces of ridiculously tattered paper. "And, one last thing." He said sternly. Allen sat up straight.

"Don't touch my LENALEEEE!"

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><p>After collecting his uniform and enjoying a snack, Allen felt so tired that he could just drop on the floor and sleep - <em>nah, I wouldn't. <em>

_._

_._

He fell asleep on the floor.

_._

And the next thing he knew, someone was prodding him awake.

"Dunn dissurbb."Allen muttered, his voice thick from sleeping. As the poking continued, Allen lazily reached out to swat the disturber, only to have his hand meet with thin air and a muffled laugh. He forced one eye open. A rather tall person was standing over him together with a girl - Lenalee? - and a small crowd of students.

"Mmm? Who are you?" Allen struggled to sit up.

The stranger laughed again. His laugh was so, familiar? Where did Allen hear it before?...

"Lavi?"

The stranger, now identified as Lavi, blinked at him. He had flaming red hair, along with the lone emerald eye that had always stood out. Lavi's exposed eye widened in recognition.

"Beansprout? He really is," Lavi now turned to Lenalee, " He's really the beansprout I-"

Allen smacked Lavi, enraged, causing him to crouch down in pain.

"Oww," Lavi rubbed his head gingerly, " what d'ya do that for?"

Allen rubbed his palm. "What did you call me 'beansprout' for?"

Lavi stood there with a thoughtful look on his face.

" Cause... Yu calls you that too?"

Lenalee let out a giggle, which she tactfully turned into a cough.

* * *

><p>After assuring Lenalee that it was really because of tiredness that he had fallen asleep in the corridor, Allen handed Lavi his map. Out of the great kindness in his heart (as he claimed), Lavi had decided to guide Allen to where he would be sleeping. Allen gratefully followed.<p>

"There you go, room 27." Lavi said cheerfully.

"Thanks." Allen opened the door and started carrying his belongings into the room, which consisted of two master beds, two desks and a wardrobe. It was simple but elegant. Until -

Lavi rushed into the room and jumped up and down on one of the beds. Allen gaped. 'L-Lavi, what are you doing? That bed belongs to someone else, you can't-"

"Not if that someone happens to be me." Lavi said happily, reaching into his half of the wardrobe and emerging with a book.

"What? I have to share a room with you?" The idea of it hit Allen so hard, he plopped down on his bed and stared at Lavi, now comfortably lying in bed and reading.

In his orphanage days, Lavi was the messiest child ever. Honestly, _ever_. His room was so filled with newspaper clippings and papers that you had to plough your way through. Allen could have personally sworn that in some parts, the paper came above his waist.

Though, he was also a brilliant child who would devise ways to ensure that Allen would always clean up his room for him just before spot-checks. So he was never caught. And Allen was scarred forever. He still has nightmares about it sometimes.

"T-Then, why is it so clean?" Allen asked. The simplest logic dictated that if Lavi slept here, it would never be this neat. _Never._

"Because Lenalee got Yu to come here and force me to clean it up just before you came. You know, leave a good impression."

Allen lay down on his bed, defeated.

_Well, at least I still get the education part, right?_

He would soon learn how wrong he was.

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><p><strong>AN:** And there goes the rewritten Chimera chapter 1. Tell me what you think! (Review for the needy author please?)


	2. Countdown

**A/N:** Once again, this fic is under revamping, so feel free to point out places that you feel could be improved upon. Thank you for reading!

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><p>Countdown<p>

Beta-ed by **Akiy0z**

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><p>We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.<br>-Joseph Campbell

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><p><em>Seven days left.<em>

Yu Kanda was currently in the midst of a meal routine that would be repeated three times a day, excepting the circumstances under which it would be impossible to do so. He held his chopsticks deftly, picking up the correct amount of _soba_ noodles and swishing them lightly in the sauce, before lifting them to his mouth and devouring what he would never tire of. Concentrating on his meal, Kanda gave no outward acknowledgement towards the presence of one very confused Allen Walker and his newfound friends.

'What do you mean by "different"?' Allen enquired, a remarkable feat when an entire burger was stuffed in his mouth. Lavi took over the conversation, his plate of food barely touched.

"Shouldn't you know by now, Allen? Just how… this school is."

Kanda twitched, Lavi bit his lower lip and Lenalee looked down. Allen swallowed leisurely, taking a gulp of water, and stared at the rest of the group.

' …Know what?'

Silence.

In the short week that had elapsed, Allen managed to build up friendships quickly with most of the people around him, with the unsurprising exception being Kanda. The boy had enjoyed his first week staying in the school, never having a permanent residence or friends. Lou Fa, the Head of the Librarian Committee, had already invited Allen to the school library several times, but was each time met with a polite, although progressively shorter, decline. He also met some people from the Black Class –the second of the two fractions that the school had been split into– a petite, alarmingly bold girl named Road Camelot, and the Prefect head, Tyki Mikk. They both belonged to the Noah Clan, a family whose roots traced back to the start of the Academy.

As Allen had also noticed, members of the White Class did not take too kindly to any advancements made by their peers in the other fraction, and students belonging to the Black Class were none too partial to their White Class schoolmates. They each led separate lives, only crossing paths on the lawns and shared facilities.

'Know about _what_?' Allen asked pointedly.

Lavi hesitated to answer. 'The school's way of teaching.'

'Is there supposed to be anything really bad about it?'

'…If you put it that way, I guess it allows the Black Order to get rid of… weaker students.'

'What? You mean they actually expel weaker students? Shouldn't they be helping-'

'-Wait! You have no idea what this school is about?' Lavi burst out.

Lenalee stopped in the midst of lifting a spoon to her mouth. Even Kanda put down his chopsticks, at last giving full attention. The half-full canteen stared at Allen.

Silence.

'Schools are about learning, aren't they?'

Absolute silence.

"You need to see the headmaster."

* * *

><p>Komui pushed up his spectacles again.<p>

'Oh. I see. Wait, I think Cross did mention…"'He dug under his table for the elusive document. Moments later, he surfaced with a battered letter in hand. This he quickly opened and read. 'Okay, Cross did point this out, it must have slipped my mind…'

'So?' Allen awaited further explanation.

Komui handed him a small booklet, and ushered him outside with the others.

* * *

><p><em>Six days left.<em>

In the early morning, the Academy was shrouded in thick mist and perched, fantasy-like, on a cliff against a backdrop of gradually brightening twilight. Inside, a snow-haired boy snored quietly, with the left side of his face flattened against a window pane. He had been reading and re-reading a little booklet given to him the day before, as though its contents would change drastically if he read it again. His face, despite being pressed flat, contained a frown that would surely rival that of Head Prefect Kanda, who was currently downstairs on patrol. Pieces of papers that were torn off the booklet littered the desk the boy was resting on. The only intact sheet of paper in the booklet, now lying on the far right of his desk, read:

_The Academy separates its students into two Classes depending on their abilities; the White Class and the Black Class. The White Class consists of students with Innocence (refer to pq 10) and the Black Class consists of students with Dark Matter (refer to pq 11). Each Class has their own headmaster, their own prefect board and their own quarters. Currently, the White Class has Mr. Komui Lee as the headmaster and the Head and Vice-Head prefects are Kanda Yu and Lenalee Lee respectively. The Black Class has Mr. Sheryl Camelot as the Headmaster with Tyki Mikk and Lulu Bell as the Head and Vice-Head prefects. (Refer to pictures below)_

The rest of the page showed pictures. This was overlapped by a more mutilated sheet of paper:

_The Academy does not train students – Instead, we train fighters. The Black Order wants the best, and only the best. To prepare pupils for employment into the Black Order, trials (refer to pq 12) have been arranged for both the White Class and the Black Class. These trials take place once every week, on average. We deeply regret any inconveniences, injuries or deaths caused. Please note that once you are enrolled in the Black Order Academy, no backing out is permitted. If you remain unharmed after two years here, you may graduate safely from the Academy and make the choice between working for the Black Order or modifying your memory and returning to the outside world. You are also allowed to go out of the school during school holidays, on the account that you display acceptable behavior and go through an agreement that you will not reveal anything from this school to the outside world._

The last two sheets of paper lying on the desk were so covered with highlights and underlines that it was difficult to read.

_Innocence: Users with this type of ability will have certain characteristics, such as:_

_-A small pentacle, resembling a scar, will appear on the user's body._

_-The user is likely to be able to control elements/ use attacks of a 'lighter' nature._

_Innocence users are also divided into three main categories. These are:_

_-Equipment type (Innocence is separate from the body and comes in the form of clothing, weapons and accessories)_

_-Parasitic type (Innocence merged with body, usually taking the place of a body part)_

_-Crystal type (This has not been thoroughly explored. It is believed that all equipment types can evolve into this.)_

_The other sheet read:_

_Dark Matter: Users with this type of ability will possess certain characteristics, such as:_

_-A small diamond-shaped marking will appear on the user's body. The number of these markings increases with the strength of the user._

_-The user is likely to be able to control elements/ use attacks of a 'darker' nature._

_Dark Matter users are divided into several levels:_

_-Level one_

_-Level two_

_-Level three_

_-Level four_

_-Level seven_

_The higher the level achiev_

The rest of the page was obstructed by Allen's elbow.

At last, Lavi stirred from his sleep, stretching himself and dumping his book next to his bed, on a small, but rapidly growing pile.

'Allen? What are you doing?' Lavi walked over and stifled a yawn. Allen dazedly opened his eyes.

'Oh, good morning, Lavi.' Allen rubbed his cheek, cold from being pressed against the window all night, and swept all the paper on his desk into a wastepaper basket with an air of unconcern. A pentacle glimpsed through his white fringe.

'Uh, you okay there, Allen? Maybe the content in the book shocked you a little, but-'

Allen smiled brightly. 'Lavi, stop pretending. This must be a hoax, isn't it? You even got Kanda roped in, I admit that I'm impressed.'

'That was not a hoax. Really, Alle-'

'-And how do you expect me to believe all that?' Allen gestured to a multitude of torn paper bits on the floor. One slightly bigger piece showed part of a monstrous face, with the label, _Trials_.

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><p><em>Five days left.<em>

Allen Walker grumpily stormed across the school canteen, ignoring pleas from Lavi and Lenalee to sit down with the group. To his utter amazement, both Lenalee and Kanda had acknowledged the content inside the little booklet as being true. _They're all in this together._ Allen felt a strange pang of loneliness as he sat down next to Lou Fa instead, who greeted him with a shaky nod instead of the usual delighted blush.

'Is something wrong? ', Allen asked thickly, halfway through a plateful of chocolate éclairs. 'Why are you so nervous?"

'… Walker-san… do you think… I'll make it?'

She looked an emotional wreck, and her eyes had desperation in their depths.

'…I'm so scared, you know…?'

It was Lou Fa, truthful and terrified of her fate, that convinced Allen at last.

* * *

><p><em>Four days left.<em>

Allen was in his room, reading a textbook in his bed. This was something that Lavi usually did, but now Lavi's books laid untouched for days in the shelves. However, instead of paying attention to what _A Guide to Basic Biology_ contained, Allen's thoughts were far from anything educational. The monster on page twelve of the little booklet... The characteristics of a user of Innocence… normal people had never even seen or heard of these things before. Was it truly possible that they would suddenly materialize out of nowhere, in just the span of four days?

'Yo, Allen.' Lavi made his way to the chair, tipping it on two legs and resting his feet on the study table with a careless grace.

'…Lavi. Is it true?'

'Yes.'

.

.

.

There was no doubt, no flicker of amusement in his lone eye.

'I believe you. Tell me about the school. Tell me what I need to do to stay alive.'

Lavi set the chair back on its four legs.

'Where should I start, huh.'

* * *

><p>' In four day's time, school will begin. We still have real exams and everything to pass off as a school, but know that those results don't matter. We will be gathered in classes and given slips of paper. Use those to activate your Innocence. I don't know how this works, but what you think about when you write down your name there will determine what form your Innocence takes.'<p>

Allen nodded, curious as to what shape Lavi's innocence took on.

'Your first Trial always begins immediately after the awakening of your powers. So be fast, and get out as quickly as you can. Try to have a fair fighting chance, you know. The amount of Akuma, those monsters that you saw on that booklet, is tremendous on the first day, and your chance of survival is very slim. If your friend, your comrade falls, run even faster. Grief can come later.'

Allen sharply inhaled. But remained silent.

'Never, ever trust the Black Class.'

'Why? They're just really eccentric-'

'Just don't trust them. Trust your senses. Trust your comrades –'

'Comrades?' he cut in.

Lavi answered fiercely. 'You have Lenalee, Kanda, Lou Fa and that bunch of kids I always see you talk to.' Then he scratched his head a little, and added, 'And me. There's me, too.'

* * *

><p><em>Three days left.<em>

Returning to his friends, Allen officially acknowledged the disturbing information inside the booklet. However, the hope that perhaps it was a just a joke blown out of proportion, and that there was no cause for worry, still lingered.

.

_Two days left._

Komui paced up and down across his office. There were only two days left, and even though the staff was not required to face the Trials themselves, Komui still rather felt for the students under his charge. He would do his best to protect them, but what could a mere human do?

.

_One day left._

All the students that were still alive had returned to the School. An estimated fifteen students had died during the holidays, all by suicide.

.

_One hour left._

Allen tossed and turned, but like most students, found it impossible to sleep.

.

.

.

_Fifty-nine minutes and thirty-three seconds._

_Twenty- one minutes and forty seconds._

_Fifteen minutes and twenty-eight seconds._

_Three minutes and six seconds._

_Ten._

_Seven._

_Zero._

The school bell sounded. School had begun.

.

.

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><p><strong>AN:** Please **review**, tell me how I'm doing. Criticism is great as long as it's constructive.


	3. Because

Sorry to have taken so long! /shot/ Oh, and yes, the reason why I was so slow was because my laptop decided to crash. So I kind of rushed, resulting in whatever you see below. Hopefully it's not too bad…

Warning: OOCness, inexperienced writer, pleas for forgiveness and MORE.

Disclaimer: I wish that I could own D. Gray-man too.

Anyway, how do you add spaces in front of a new paragraph? Mine keeps on disappearing?

* * *

><p>+Chapter 3+<p>

A leaf broke off from its body, a half-dead potted plant. As though carried by a breeze, though there was none, it swerved and flew through the Great Hall, finally landing, soundlessly, upon a book with the title _Food Nutrition: A Guide_ printed on its cover and the name _Allen Walker_ scribbled next to it. The owner of the book, however, had not noticed the withered leaf. Like the rest of the occupants in the Hall, he was giving his full attention to the speaker on the stage. The Head Principal of the Academy was giving his welcoming speech.

_ -May all of you contribute to continuing to build this school into something even greater – Rule-breaking is not tolerated – Lessons will be disrupted on Friday for a school assembly - Professor Gozu will be retiring – All clubs and societies, except the prefect boards, are to seek the-_

Despite giving his full attention to the Principal, a rather fat man with an eerie smile and a flamboyant top hat, the contents of the speech slid through Allen's mind like nothing. He only caught useless nuggets of this rather boring speech, for the rest of his mind was preparing itself for the first trial to be held today. Was it just himself, or was there an air of unease around him? Taking a deep breath, Allen looked around, spotting Lavi and Kanda sitting amongst the seniors. He caught Lavi's eye and tried to give him a reassuring smile, which turned out to resemble toothache.

* * *

><p>"Class, silence! Please take your seat in accordance with your register number, I do not accept free seating – Wait, Miss Lenalee, would you like to sit at the front here?" Professor Bak Chan patted the table directly in front of him eagerly. Lenalee blinked, clearly unused to being addressed so politely. "Um, yes then, thank you." The disgruntled student occupying the seat began to clear her desk while Lenalee hovered nearby, unsure of whether to apologise. Professor Bak silenced the class with a wave of his hand.<p>

"Alright, class, I am your form teacher, Professor Bak. You may also address me as Professor Chan. As your abilities have not been identified, this is a mixed class, consisting of both Night and Day Class students. Now, as your first and foremost priority, you will be determining whether you belong to the Night or Day Classes. I will be handing out these slips of paper- " He held up a stack of paper squares with strange markings on them,"-and each of you is to take one. When I say so, write your full, real name onto the paper. Envision something that symbolizes you while you write your name." Bak now busied himself with handing out the paper squares.

As he passed Lenalee, putting a paper square down on her desk rather more gently than he had done for the others, Allen's eyes darted around his seating position. Lenalee was sitting two seats in front of him. The librarian Lou Fa sat next to him, and a boy Allen had never seen before sat to his right. Allen turned his head slightly, and out of the corner of his eye saw tufts of dark blue spiky hair. "Road?" Road Kamelot looked up at him, sucking on a lollipop. "Mm? Hullo there, Allen." He also noticed that she was already wearing the Night Class uniform. Road followed his eyes and explained. "Members of The Noah Family have always been in Night Class, Allen." There was a sharp knock on his desk. Allen hurriedly turned back to face Bak, who stuffed another paper square into his hands, before continuing to distribute the remaining.

Moments later, Bak returned to the front of the class. "Class, now do as I told you. You have either a pentacle or a diamond shape on your body. After completing the procedure, press on it and think of what symbolizes you. There is not much time left, so hurry." Bak glanced at the window. It was an absolutely normal and beautiful day. Allen lifted his pen to write down his name, but paused – what could symbolize himself? He swept his eyes around the class; everyone was busy writing. Allen raked his memories for something-

_ A song._

_ Where had he heard this song?_

_ It sounded so… familiar._

_ Allen remembered._

_ Mana and I made it, together…_

Allen wrote down his name, while the song echoed through his mind. The second he finished writing, the paper emitted a bright glow and disappeared. At the same time, he felt a searing heat on his forehead and his left wrist, the places where the pentacles on his body resided-

"Activate your abilities now! There is no time!" Bak shouted hoarsely. Allen pressed on the pentacle on his wrist, and thought of the song. Suddenly, his arm erupted, to be replaced swiftly with a huge, metal-like arm. Strangely enough, it did not feel heavy or painful in the least. His fingers now resembled giant claws, sharp and curved. Allen looked around and saw Lenalee, pressing on her ankle and closing her eyes. In a split second, something black burst out of the pentacle and covered her legs, forming knee-high boots. To his left, Lou Fa was clutching a small, white bird with blue eyes that glowed. Allen's hand rested on the second pentacle on his forehead. It directly connected with a scar that ran through his left eye. Concentrating on that song in his memory, he pressed – a surge of white light – and Allen found that he could see something terrible, hideous, in the distance. "Those that are ready, go out and fight! NOW! Staying in this classroom will not stop the Akuma – they can smell you – GO! NOW!"

_ The world went dark. Light flickered feebly, and died. _

"Allen, What are you doing" Lenalee tugged at Allen's sleeve. "We have to go out, staying here only makes you trapped -" But Allen only dropped, helplessly, onto the ground. "What is that – that…" Allen stared, horrified and yet transfixed, on the creatures roaming the school grounds. Gigantic structures of pain and despair, the remains of a wasted life, blood, sinew and a human face, its eyes blank and dead. Crude weapons were half-buried in its body, lashing out and claiming the lives of its victims. But worst of all, a soul, bound by chains to the monster, its face contorted with pain as the monster fed on it slowly…

"T-That's the Akuma, Allen, we have to fight it, they'll reach us anytime." Lenalee said, quietly. "The only way out is to fight it. Allen?" Allen was still huddling on the floor wordlessly. "Allen? Please, respond! Allen!" Lenalee continued to call out desperately. Bak sat on the teacher's desk, slumped; he was unconscious. One of those Akuma passed through the wall, emerging behind Lenalee. Allen told himself to get up – to fight – but his body refused to respond. Lenalee had noticed to Akuma a second too late – it had begun to fire from its cannons-

A blur slashed across the Akuma, it let out a groan of agony and exploded in a cloud of dust. A too-familiar voice cut through the air. "Oi, what were you two thinking?" Kanda emerged through the thick smoke. A sleek chokuto rested in his hands, smoking slightly. Lenalee breathed a thanks. Allen remained on the floor, staring at the smoking carcass.

"It said thank you." Allen muttered. Kanda whipped around.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The soul said thank you. Then she disappeared."

"Bean sprout, what-"

Allen stood up immediately. "I see. Innocence frees the Akuma's soul." Kanda and Lenalee just looked at each other.

Allen walked to the classroom door. "Let's fight, everyone."

* * *

><p>Outside, Akuma were countless in number. Although a huge number had infiltrated the school building, another flock had taken its place. Allen took a deep breath, his metal arm seemingly useless against the Akuma… But several had spotted him, and were approaching. Lenalee speeded overhead and swung her feet into an Akuma, killing it with seemingly no effort – Lou Fa gave commands while her bird, now the size of a swan, circled a group of Akuma and attacked them with binding balls of light from its mouth– Lavi raised his now gigantic hammer into the air, creating a seal and enclosing several Akuma in a tower of flames – A single Akuma had escaped from all of them, and headed straight for Allen. His ears full of the melody he had remembered, Allen lifted his arm, trying not to concentrate on the soul of the Akuma – and slashed his claw through the monster. It stared at him for a moment, and moaning, collapsed onto the floor and burst. Allen had a glimpse of another soul breaking free from its chains before he turned beck to face another Akuma.<p>

And then, just as suddenly as they had arrived, all the Akuma were retreating.

_ Darkness receded and Light came back._

Allen looked at the ground surrounding him. Akuma carcasses and human bodies littered the entire school. A blank, dark feeling overpowered him – _how many people had died? Simply for the sake of employing the best – how many had died? It was disgusting. The school was disgusting. How could people just let it exist? How – and for what reason?_ Allen felt darkness rushing up to him.

* * *

><p><span>Black Order Academy Statistics<span>

Day 1

Total Population (at 00.00)

500

Death Toll (From 00.00 to 24.59)

217

Remaining Population (at 24.59)

283

* * *

><p>Allen woke up, and after a few minutes, realized that he was in a bed. After some more time, he realized that he was in a hospital ward. Several other injured students were also present, including, much to Allen's surprise –<p>

Kanda stormed down the aisle, pulling on a coat. Allen caught a glimpse of a black tattoo on his chest. A nurse hurried after him.

"Kanda-kun, you're not fit enough to be off-"

"I'm perfectly fine." Kanda retorted fiercely.

"But you were slashed by a Level 2 across-"

"I told you, I'm fine!"

Allen decided to interrupt. "Ba-Kanda, you should listen to the nurse, you know."

He then found a sword gleaming within an inch of his nose.

* * *

><p>At the canteen, Allen heaped mounds of food onto ten plates and a trolley. Only when he got to his usual seat and sat down did he find out that he was too sickened by the first day to eat. Allen had also passed by the Great Hall before coming down to eat, and the sight that had greeted him there had also been hard to stomach. Mountains of corpses and dismembered bodies lay about. In most cases, the dead could not be identified. Finders (the workers there) had arranged the bodies that were still intact into hundreds of coffins. These bodies would never be sent back to their loved ones, so as not to risk more Akuma being created.<p>

In the entire canteen, only Kanda, recently discharged from the hospital, was eating. Everyone else was staring blankly into midair. Allen sneaked a look at Lenalee and Lavi. They both looked drawn and tired, like everyone else. There was only one way to make them build back their energy. They needed it, too.

Allen picked up his chopsticks, and started to eat.

* * *

><p>Um, so how was it?<p>

I'm so shocked with myself as well. Maybe the rating could go higher.

Reviews will go towards stockpiling enough soba to bribe Kanda back to the manga. We need him!


	4. Secret

It seems like most of you readers expect me to update every four days or so. Unfortunately, I am a student. So, uh, not much time after school starts. Lucky it's the holidays though.

I raised the rating of Chimera to T because of violence in the last chapter. Thanks to ElricLawliet for suggesting it.

And yes, this story is somewhat based on Aphorism. Only the first volume though. Any resemblance to Vampire Knight is accidental.

Warning: OOCness, shorter than usual, reminders to review (please?) and MORE.

Disclaimer: Let's have a simple 'I do not own D. Gray-man.'

* * *

><p>+Chapter 4+<p>

Allen Walker was eating in class. Lenalee was making notes on the lesson. Road was staring dreamily into the air. Bak rambled on about enzymes and digesting food while the rest of the class drooled and nodded subconsciously. In the three days that had elapsed, no trial had occurred. Allen had learned that the trials occurred once every five days, sometimes less. This meant that in another few days, another trial would come. How many would die…

As the school staff was not affected by the trials, they became unconscious at the start of each trial as to prevent them from intervening. Bak now ended of his lecture. "Do you have any questions, class?" There were a few murmurs in response. "Alright then, class dismissed!"

It was ridiculous, Allen thought, that lessons could still resume so normally just after the last trial. As he walked up to join Lenalee, Allen noticed Road running to Tyki. _The Noah Clan has always been a part of the Night Class… did that mean, they had accepted everything about the school? _He now spotted Lavi waving at them, and Kanda scowling further away. Smiling in spite of himself, Allen headed towards them.

* * *

><p>Kanda calmly dipped his soba noodles into the sauce while Lenalee talked to him ("Don't you ever eat anything else?") and Allen began to dig into his enormous array of food. Lavi had learnt not to gape at Allen whenever they ate together. There would be an assembly tomorrow – Lavi wondered what would be announced.<p>

"Ba-Kanda, you should really try some cream puffs, you know?" Allen poked a pastry with his fork, and tentatively pushed it towards Kanda.

Kanda eyed the cream puff through narrowed eyes. "No way in hell."

"Why? They taste so good~ Are you scared?"

"Why would I be scared, bean sprout?"

"Then why aren't you eating? Kanda is scared! ~"

Kanda pulled out his sword and directed it at Allen. "Just go and die already!"

Lenalee took out her clipboard and smacked Allen and Kanda's heads.

* * *

><p><span>Black Order Academy Statistics <span>

Day 4

Total Population (at 00.00)

282

Death Toll (From 00.00 to 24.59)

2 (suicide)

Remaining Population (at 24.59)

280

_The Principal lay back in his soft, squishy armchair and examined the day's statistics. Even without the Akuma, people still died. Indeed, humans were weak. The end of the week was drawing near, he would have to prepare a report for the Black Order. How tiresome. He could get either Sheril or Komui to do it instead, but both were rather busy. Might as well start working on it now, then. Still, he _was _the Millennium Earl. It was a little degrading to work for humans. But all this was for an important reason, so he would just have to continue…_

* * *

><p>The moon shone its light gently over the Academy, perhaps quietly uncovering the secrets the latter held. Kanda gripped his sword handle tightly when he heard footsteps. He turned around quickly and unsheathed his sword. "Show yourself."<p>

"Yes, yes, here I am." A tall figure emerged from the shadows and walked slowly towards Kanda. As the moonlight reached him, his wavy hair and handsome features were thrown into focus. Tyki Mikk smirked as he surveyed Kanda's serious expression, his eyes lingering on the drawn sword, a sharp beam of reflected moonlight. Kanda brandished the sword at him. "What do you want?"

Tyki fingered a pattern on his forehead. Seven cross-shaped stigmata, arranged in a horizontal position, were visible in the moonlight. "Well, I am also a prefect. Can't I patrol this school?" If possible, Kanda looked even more threatening. His hair fanned out in the cool breeze, puddles of moonlight shinning in his narrowed eyes and on his uniform. "This is Day Class territory. You are not allowed here." Tyki laughed, and began to walk back.

"Even with your protection, your friends will not survive." He said, his voice echoing through the empty corridor.

Kanda's eyes flashed dangerously, but he did not reply.

* * *

><p>So what is the Noah up to? What will be revealed at the assembly?<p>

(Sorry, just advertising for the next chapter.)

**Reviews help feed starving authors.**


	5. Nightmare

*Reads the reviews* W-Wait, no one blamed me for writing a filler-ish chapter? Wow, thanks. /touched/

Warning: May contain lousy writing and OOCness. Also be warned: Violence, mass implanting of side characters, may be boring and MORE.

Disclaimer: D. Gray-man will belong to me the moment Kanda allows it. (Meaning it will never happen. /depressed/)

Extra: There are now five chapters! Thanks for your support! Now on with the story!

* * *

><p>+Chapter 5+<p>

Lavi was examining a pentacle on his palm. He traced its outline with a finger unblinkingly. On the bed next to his, Allen snored. Lavi concentrated – a flash – and black, dense matter gathered in his hand, swiftly forming a small hammer. This lengthened steadily until the tip of the hammer was directly above Allen's head. Lavi aimed carefully, he would have to be fast and precise. He tilted his head to the left a little… yes, it was perfect.

BAM.

"Oww! WHAT THE #$%^&&*!" Allen jumped up and clutched his head, looking at Lavi as though the later had just hit him.

As a matter of fact, Lavi did. Not that he was going to admit it, though. Lavi had inactivated his hammer as fast as he could. He now smiled innocently at Allen.

"Swearing so early in the morning, Allen? I thought that was more of Yu's kind of thing."

Allen stomped over to Lavi. "WHY – DID – YOU – HIT – MY – HEAD?"

Lavi backed towards the door slowly. "Hun? Hit your head? How could I have done that?"

Allen seemed to be shuddering with anger. Lavi decided it was time to run for it.

"AHHH! THE BEANSPROUT'S GONNA KILL ME!" Lavi bolted out of the room.

* * *

><p>"Lavi, you should give Allen a rest, you know." Lenalee said, pouring coffee for Allen. "You've been doing this for what, the whole week?" Allen clutched his head protectively, glaring at Lavi. The latter simply smiled. "Okay, I won't do it again. Really Allen, really!" he added hastily as Allen shot a disbelieving look in his direction.<p>

Meanwhile, on the far end of the table, Kanda almost laughed.

* * *

><p>Allen was drawing a picture of Bak on his notes, and failing miserably. Bak himself was pointing out something particularly important in the textbook to the non-responsive class. "You must take note of this, it always comes out in the exams –" Allen turned back to his drawing. Wait, was his drawing facing left or right? <em>Oh great, my artistic skills just hit new lows.<em> Allen gave up on the drawing and looked out of the windows. The day was rather gloomy and overcast. _It might rain later,_ he mentally noted. Suddenly, his left eye throbbed painfully - a blinding flash – his eye had activated itself. The blood red iris focused on the horizon – what were those – Akuma? Another trial? Allen stood up. His activated eye had some kind of magnified vision; he could see the Akuma clearly, even though they were far away.

"Walker, why are you standing up? Sit down –"

"Akuma." Allen interrupted Bak, pointing to the windows. Bak looked outside, and squinted.

"Nonsense, I do not see any. Deactivate your innocence, Walker, and sit down."

"Wait, Bak! Look closely! Can't you –"

"_Professor _Bak, Walke –"

Bak had collapsed onto the floor. Gasps of shock followed. People stared, white-faced, at Bak's lifeless figure. If the teacher had become unconscious, it meant that a Trial was about to occur. Allen kicked himself awake. "Everyone! Activate yourself! NOW!" He pressed on his arm and concentrated – another flash, and the distorted, metallic claw had replaced his arm. A few flashes blinded his eye momentarily, and he saw that Lenalee and a few other classmates had followed his instructions, but the rest of the class simply stared at him. "ACTIVATE – IT – NOW!" Allen shouted hoarsely. There was a flurry of movements and more bright flashes. By now, the Akuma could already be viewed with the normal eye – they would be arriving soon. Allen glanced at all his classmates, hoping that they would return safely. There were already fifteen empty seats.

_All heat from the day was taken away._

Road stood up from her seat, and walked out calmly. She appeared to have absolutely no form of protection that was activated. Two girls Allen did not know ran out after her. An Akuma peered into the classroom through the window. "Humans – must – kill…" It reached towards another boy, trying to grab him. The boy sat still, transfixed in terror. Allen tried to reach out for the him – his arm could not expand fast enough – no, he would never make it – Allen's arm smoothly twisted and shaped itself into an arm cannon, which shot out something at the Akuma. It exploded with a moan. The boy glanced at Allen, who noticed that he was wearing a mask, and rather small-looking. He barely had time to register this when Lenalee pulled him out of the classroom and into the corridors.

* * *

><p>As he followed Lenalee outside, Allen was dimly aware that he had broken into a run. Lenalee was gliding effortlessly beside him while he struggled to keep up. Eyes darting around, he caught a glimpse of spiky blue hair and striped socks. <em>Road. <em>She still had not activated any ability and appeared to be running from something. _Maybe something went wrong with her ability? _Allen began to run towards her instead, beckoning Lenalee to head on by herself.

* * *

><p>Road had finally stopped running. She sat down on the railing surrounding the rooftop. A total of three students had already plummeted to their deaths from here, desperate to escape the hell they were enclosed in. Then, she watched as Allen reached the rooftop, out of breath.<p>

"Hello, Allen~" Road smiled and leaned over the building. It was a long way down. Allen panicked. "D-Don't jump down, okay?"

Road's eyes widened slightly. "Jump? I won't jump, silly. I was just bored of having people watch over me all the time, so I took the chance to run away from them." Allen just stared. Just then, two girls ran to Road. Allen recognized them as the ones that had followed Road out of the class.

"Mistress Road, are you okay? Are you hurt?" They burst out together. Road shrugged with the air of someone whose joke had backfired.

"Ah, I've been found. It was still fun, though." She slid off the railing. "Allen, this is Sachiko and Kawamura." She pointed to the two girls, who bowed. However, Allen was unresponsive - his eye was throbbing worse than ever. Three Akuma had flown up behind Road, but as Allen aimed his arm cannon at them, he noticed that none of them were attacking. Road was still smiling, now a little sadistically. "No, there's no need to fire at them. They can kill themselves."

Allen took a step back, unsure of what to do. A slight drizzle had begun to come down. Ignoring the rain, Road stepped towards him, her smile widening. "I heard that you know, the souls of Akuma are freed when the Akuma is exorcised with innocence." Allen took another step back, his hair beginning to drip water into his eyes. _Something is wrong here. _Road continued. "Did you know that when Akuma are killed by something besides innocence, their souls are torn apart and destroyed?" Road was now smiling maliciously. Allen's eyes widened in horror, his left eye pounding and twitching uncontrollably. His mouth opened, but only a weakly muttered "_No_." surfaced. Road's smile became twisted, inhumane, and cruel. "Let me show you."

She gestured to the closest Akuma, who drifted forwards.

"Destroy yourself."

The Akuma's eyes were fixed on her. "But, Mistress Noah…"

"Hurry up! Three seconds."

The Akuma turned to stare at Allen.

"Three."

It looked at Allen, as though silently pleading. Allen felt a fleeting stab of pity.

"Two."

The Akuma turned its cannons towards itself.

"One."

'BOOM.'

There was a blast, a deafening sound, and a lot of smoke. The Akuma screamed and writhed, clearly in pain. The next second, it had gone up in flames. Allen watched its soul, trashing wildly and desperately trying to break free of its chains. It was about to be devoured alive – no, he couldn't let this happen – but there was no hope for it. The soul reached towards Allen, sinking further into the darkness under it. "Help…help…" the soul mouthed feebly, before disappearing into the darkness. The pitter-patter of raindrops was once again heard.

"NO!" Allen's left eye was under unbearable pain – his mind was full of the Akuma's soul being devoured right before his eyes – his left eye went completely blind – something hot spilled all over his cheek and splattered onto the floor. Allen saw blotches of crimson drip all over the floor, mixing with puddles of water. Blood continued to flow out of his left eye socket, staining his hair, already plastered by the rain. Road stepped over him as he crouched down in pain. The two girls sidestepped him and the remaining Akuma flew towards him – they were going to finish him. Try as he might, Allen could not get his innocence to reactivate itself. He would have no protection, an easy kill…

A whirl of green energy flashed before him. Lenalee stood before him, her Dark Boots activated. The Akuma had fell to the ground outside the rooftop. "Allen, can you respond? Allen? What happened...?" Lenalee's image blurred and faded, and Allen succumbed to the darkness, a world of no more pain.

* * *

><p><strong>Black Order Academy Statistics<strong>

**Day 5**

Total Population (at 00.00)

280

Death Toll (From 00.00 to 24.59)

38

Remaining Population (at 24.59)

242

* * *

><p>Allen woke up, once again, in the ward. It was a while before he realized that his left eye had been bandaged. Touching it gingerly, he explored the interior of the ward with his other eye and found Lavi, lying on the bed facing his. Lenalee and Kanda were conversing in hushed tones next to him. He could still hear them perfectly though.<p>

"If Road Kamelot was behind this, shouldn't we report it?" Lenalee said in a worried undertone.

Kanda shook his head slightly. "No. The principal's part of the Noah, he would let them get away with everything."

Lenalee sighed. "But look at the state of him – Allen! You're awake! Thank goodness!"

Allen blinked, a little unaccustomed to having only one eye able to do so. He hoped that he would not need an eye patch; Lavi would tease him for the rest of his life. Speaking of Lavi…

"How's Lavi?"

In response, Lavi pushed himself into a sitting position slowly.

"I'm fine, I'll live. Nice eye patch."

* * *

><p>Allen was ushered into the Great Hall as the assembly was about to start. Assistant Form teacher Fou finished shoving the whole class into the hall and went to sit with the rest of the teachers. Lenalee sat down beside Allen, greeting him with a small wave. On his other side, a short boy with a face mask was staring at him. Allen realized, with a jot, that this was the boy he had saved before. The boy had opened his mouth to speak.<p>

"Uh – Hello, my name is Eeez. Thanks for what you did just now."

Allen smiled and was about to reply when he noticed that the Principal had walked onto the stage. Suppressing feelings of hatred, it was a while before Allen remembered why he felt that way.

_The Principal's part of the Noah._ _So the Noah understood that souls would be destroyed by Dark Matter, but still continued to use them?_ Allen pulled himself back to listen to the Principal's speech.

"_-This year, we will be continuing with the Missions that were started three years ago, in addition to continuing the Trials whenever more than ten percent of the School Population is present .I hope our students will be able to cope with them well."_ He laughed, rather coldly.

"_Newcomers, congratulations on surviving past the first week. Just for your information, Missions are tasks set by the school that require you to go out of the school grounds and complete certain… chores. Once they are completed, you are to report back to the school with your results. As with Trials, we also regret any inconvenience, injury or deaths caused. Now, I wish you all good luck~"_

Lenalee stared blankly at the stage. Allen looked at her, puzzled, and attempted to get her attention. Lenalee looked horrified. "Missions. They're continuing it!" Allen simply blinked, confused. What could be so terrifying about a mission? Lenalee read the look of total incomprehension on his face and explained.

"The school sends students to defeat entire armies of Akuma outside. Last year, it wiped out most of the last cohort. You see that there's only one class of them left." Allen glanced at the seniors, and saw that only a handful of them were present. "Lavi said that it was no big deal, but he almost got killed."

Allen thought that his feelings had reached its lowest point, but it had just experienced a lower dip.

* * *

><p>Eh, that was kind of lousy, wasn't it.<p>

By the way, Sachiko and Kawamura are the names of two Akuma. Sachiko is also known as Chomesuke. Why I'm using Akuma, you will find out later. Eeez is the little boy that was travelling with Tyki and his human friends.

Reviews are appreciated! (As always)


	6. Alone

Sadly, school is beginning in a few day's time. *depressed* Sorry I was slow on updating, but I got extra school stuff even before it reopened. Please remember that updates will become slower and more erratic from next week on.

I didn't know that I was supposed to reply to reviews! /Bangs head on table/

Anyways, thanks to all the wonderful people who stumbled across this story and read it all the way to this point. All of you will be receiving a slice of fictional cake. (Cake materializes with a POOF.)

Kanda: No way in hell am I eating that.

Allen: Yay! Cake!

And in exchange, Allen will be doing the disclaimer and warning today.

Allen: What? Must I?

Six (Referring to me): Yes. Or no cake for you.

Allen: Aww. Fine, I'll do it. *Reads script* Sixillusion does not own D. Gray-man or any of its characters. She would also like to warn that she is not exactly the best writer in the galaxy… *Chomps on cake and mutters indistinctively*

Six: And there you have it.

* * *

><p>+ Chapter Six: Alone+<p>

* * *

><p>Fou went up and down the class, explaining the notes in detail and smacking the heads of particularly inattentive students.<p>

'BAM.'

Allen clutched his head, his eyes watering in pain. Fou looked furious.

"What did I say about eating in class? What – (BAM) - Did - (BAM) - I SAY? (BAM)(BAM)"

Ten minutes later, Allen staggered out of the classroom. He had been reprimanded by Fou and given a detention. _Thank goodness it was the last lesson._ He now directed his feet towards the canteen listlessly. _Perhaps a meal would cheer me up a little._

* * *

><p>As Allen reached the canteen, the mouth-watering fragrance of delicious food greeted him, enticing him to its source. He noticed that there was a new cook… He was tall and dark-skinned, sporting a pair of sunglasses and a single braid. Allen walked up to him rather tentatively.<p>

"Uh, hello there, I'm Allen Walker. Nice to meet you."

The cook turned around sharply and examined Allen. There was a silence, and then –

"Aw~! You're so cute! And so polite! Tell me what you want, I'll cook anything for you."

Allen opened his mouth slightly. "Um, Mr -" he spotted a shiny tag on the cook's shirt, "-Jervy. Can I really order whatever I want?"

Jervy's eyes sparkled. "Aw you cute boy~! But of course~ What would you like?"

Allen considered this question for a short moment. "Uh, how about…?"

Jervy took out his notebook, ready to take orders. Allen took a deep breath.

"How about three bowls of shrimp fried rice with garlic, crab dumplings, sour and spicy soup, fried tofu puffs, pork buns, miso ramen, cream of mushroom, oven-baked steak, grilled chicken with sauce, fried prawns and soft-shell crab, nankotsu don, teriyaki chicken, fried pot stickers, jobchae, pan-fried octopus, eggplant omelets, seafood bibimbap, spring rolls and beef with broccoli? Eh, and for desert… "

Jervy finished jotting down his orders and took to gaping at Allen, who was still pondering over what to order.

* * *

><p>"A-Allen, are you really that hungry?" Lavi enquired, an anxious tone to his voice, while Allen balanced a tower of plates with amazing ability. The latter gave a nod; the tower of plates wobbled dangerously. Lavi flinched a good distance away. Allen continued until he reached an empty table, which he carefully laid down his food upon. He allowed his eyes to feast on the sight for a while, and deeply inhaled.<p>

_Mmm! It smells heavenly!_

Then, pausing only to reach for his utensils, Allen dug into his meal.

* * *

><p>Allen patted his stomach with a satisfied air. He was lying on his bed, his eyes misting over dreamily. Lavi sat down on the chair and resumed his favorite position, with his arms crossed behind his head.<p>

"Allen?" Lavi called tentatively. There was no reply.

"Allen!" Said boy jerked upright, suddenly aware that he had been daydreaming. In fact, he was reliving a particularly satisfying part of his meal earlier in the evening.

"Stop acting like that, would you? It's creepy." Allen blinked at Lavi, and smiled apologetically, just as the doorbell rang. Lavi walked to the door quickly and opened it. Outside stood prefect Chaoji, looking rather shaken. As Allen and Lavi looked around for the reason behind Chaoji's uneasiness, it was revealed; Chaoji had pulled out a shaking parcel, placed it gingerly on the table, muttered "Mail." then bolted out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Lavi walked up to the parcel cautiously. It was still shaking violently, jumping up and down and making the entire table vibrate. Lavi's single exposed eye peered at the top of the parcel.

"To Allen Walker. This is for you, Allen. You should open it." Lavi read out the label, and backed off a to safe distance. Allen's eyes widened as he looked at the parcel.

"E-Eh? It was for me? W-Why would anyone send this to me?"

"Who knows. Maybe someone really hates you- Wait, there's a note attached to it." Lavi shrugged, then straightened as he noticed the note. Allen walked over, trying to be as quiet as possible. The parcel was moving so much that the note secured to it was falling off. It jumped, just as the note fell – Allen reached out, and snatched the note just before the parcel landed on it. His eyes just had enough time to register what was on the first line of the note when Lavi pulled it free from his grasp. The latter read it out, feigning a look of polite disinterest which greatly annoyed Allen.

"From Master Cross:

Stupid apprentice, I am giving you Timcanpy. Take care of it and try to stay alive. But if you die, send Tim back to me." Lavi looked at Allen enquiringly. "Who's Cross? And is that thing Tim?" He pointed at the jerking parcel.

Allen walked up to the parcel and realized that it was exactly sufficient to hide a ball with wings and a tail. _Also, stuffing something that moves into a small box may not be exactly comfortable. No wonder the parcel was shaking._ Allen opened the parcel – a small, yellow ball shot out of it and flew around the room, flapping its wings and large tail, which were also bright yellow in color. Allen looked at it for a while, and then replied. "Cross is the guy that adopted me."

"Oh." Said Lavi with the air of one losing interest, and then reached out to stroke Timcanpy's head with his finger. Allen watched him, his mind lost in thoughts.

_So Cross knew what this school was about, but still sent me here? Does he really hate me that much? Wait, this school trains people to become exorcists. Was he one himself? Then – how did he know that I could become an exorcist? I had never seen him – before that day…_

"Allen, is it just me or does Tim here have a mouth?"

* * *

><p>Komui sipped his coffee, while Secretary Reever carefully balanced another stack of documents on his already overflowing desk. Komui put down his mug, bearing a picture of a pink rabbit, and stared at the new arrivals. Reever sighed.<p>

"Komui, you have to sign all of this. It means that you give them permission to leave the school and participate in the Missions."

Komui visibly deflated. "So much work again? I'll never finish this! NOOO!"

Reever had already walked out of the office, presumably to carry another stack of documents. Komui's eyes rested on the pile in front of him.

_Signing each of these is like giving each student death. I wish I did not have to sign them… I wonder how many would still be safe after this year… I worked so hard to get to this position to protect them, but they're still dying before my eyes. And I can do nothing to stop it._

Komui reached for the sheet at the top. His eyes scanned the paper.

_Allen Walker. This child… hopefully Cross knew what he was doing. If the child can't cope, he would die… What was he doing, not telling the child about the school before he came? Really, it was a miracle that he even survived this far. _

Komui signed the paper and reached for another.

* * *

><p>The sun was beginning to throw its light into the early morning sky. Clouds drifted lazily across, obstructing it for a moment, after which the sun would peek out and continue shining brightly. In the Academy, students were beginning to stir from their beds and heading downwards to the canteen. Allen, with Timcanpy the goblem circling his head, was already queuing up with Lenalee and Loufa when he caught sight of tufts of spiky blue hair.<p>

_Road._

Allen had not talked to Road ever since their last encounter. He wondered if she had felt any remorse at all. Before he had time to ponder, the school speaker system coughed into life.

"Cough – cough – Why is this place so –cough- dusty? When did we last use – cough – the system? Cough- Anyway, all students – cough – this is Professor Reever speaking- cough – all students are to assemble in groups of six to eight at the Great Hall –cough – tomorrow at ten o'clock. Lessons from ten to one will be cancelled. Cough- Six to eight, no more and no less. We should – cough – really clean this place –"

The speaker went dead.

"Six to eight people?" Lenalee looked at Allen, then at Kanda, sitting in the distance alone. Lavi was still in bed. Allen followed her eyes, and found Kanda as well.

"What you're thinking of will never work. Kanda would never go on a mission with me inside."

Lenalee smiled a little mischievously.

"My brother's the Headmaster, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

Even with Missions pressing on them, Allen still felt his spirits lift up at the thought that he would not need to face those ordeals alone.

* * *

><p>+Chapter 6. End+<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know it was crap. But my moral is at an all-time low due to school reopening. *depressed*

I will try to update soon, but with school in the way…

**Reviews help boost the morale of authors. Particularly those that really need it…*sigh**


	7. Going

**I replaced this chapter to have line breaks. I keep on forgetting.**

I'm back! Sorry for the delay in updates. /shot

Warning: Gloom and despair from author may cause angsty disturbances in the storyline. Also it may downgrade the quality of the writing.

Disclaimer: Nope, not the owner of D. Gray-man speaking here.

Extra: Nah, I'm not going to emo in a corner just for school. Yay for Chapter 7!

* * *

><p>+Chapter Seven+<p>

Allen lay his head down, and, for what seemed like the hundredth try, attempted to fall into deep sleep. He would need all the strength he could muster tomorrow, but sleep would not come. Abandoning all pursuits of slumber, Allen turned to Lavi, only to realize that the later was also far from asleep. Lavi had caught Timcanpy, and was now experimentally poking the place where Tim's mouth would have been. He noticed Allen looking at him, and released Timcanpy. The yellow golem fluttered into the air, savoring freedom.

"So, unable to sleep?" Lavi fluffed up his pillow, and proceeded to lean on it. Allen tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn.

"Yeah, can't sleep."

"Oh, then would you like me to try the 'Cross' method of putting you to sleep?"

"W-What method? What's that – Oh. Wait, How did you know?"

Just before Allen had come to school, Cross had knocked him out with a hammer, and was nowhere to be found in the morning. In fact, he did that pretty often… _Ouch. Oh wait, painful memories are overtaking my head again. Arg why do I keep talking to myself?_

As Allen pulled himself back to the conversation, Lavi gave himself away by half glancing at Timcanpy, now resting on the desk.

"Tim? What does Tim have to do with this?"

He was so surprised that he forgot to do a grouchy face. Lavi laughed.

"Golems can store 'memories' and play them to another person later on. Though Tim is the first golem I have ever seen with a mouth."

_Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. Now I think of it, Tim was always with Cross when he abuses me. T-That means, Lavi saw everything? Okay, there goes my pride. He'll laugh about it forever, the twisted guy he is._

Outside Allen's thoughts, his face had slowly transformed into a look of terror.

Lavi was motionless on his bed by the time Allen broke out of his unpleasant reverie. He settled down unhappily, with thoughts of _I'll settle this with him later. _And now Lavi was dancing a ballet-tap dance in time with the school song… and Komui the giant bunny was pointing at portraits of many headed Akuma with eyepatches and saying, 'this will be your first mission.'… And Allen realized that they were real and was trying to duck their attacks when Kanda came by and joined the Akuma, barely slicing Allen into half and…

Allen felt as though he had hardly slept for more than a minute when Lavi shook him up.

"Wake up, Sleepyhead."

He stirred, the sudden intensity of the morning sunlight penetrating his eyelids. As Allen's vision began to clear, Lavi flung an empty suitcase at him, narrowly missing his face.

"Start packing. We won't have time later."

It was a few moments before it occurred to Allen as to why they would be packing. _Oh yeah. Missions today, hun…_

He picked up the empty suitcase, and out of the corner of his eyes, spotted Lavi stuffing another load of belongings into another already bursting suitcase.

* * *

><p>Komui's voice bellowed over the entire school. "All students of the Day Class, gather in the Great Hall now!" Apparently, the school speaker system had been dusted and cleaned. In the other perfectly symmetrical part of the school, Sheryl was reading out a similar announcement.<p>

Road Kamelot skipped down a corridor leading to the Great Hall, humming a faintly sinister tune and licking a lollipop. Behind her, Sachiko and Kawamura each carried two suitcases, complete with school emblem. Lulu Bell, with another young girl following behind her, briskly walked up to join Road.

"May I know what all of these suitcases are for?" Lulu Bell adjusted her shades slightly. Road distanced the lollipop from her mouth.

"Sweets and Candies. Don't confiscate them, Lulu, you know Skin likes them too. Would you like some?" Road fiddled with a small bag for a while, and withdrew several brightly colored sweets. Lulu Bell glanced at her outstretched hand.

"No thanks, I'll pass."

Road threw them into her mouth, and began to chew. As Lulu Bell was not the type to start a conversation, she took it upon herself to make up for the dull silence.

"Lulu, Who are you going with later?" Road licked on her lollipop.

"Jasdero, Debitto, Tyki Mikk and that… friend of his. As well as Mimi here." Lulu Bell gestured to the young girl behind her, who bowed deeply, her light blue pigtails shaking. Road's eyes studied the young girl for a while, and then looked away. That girl was of no value, after all, just another servant for the Noah Clan. Musing to herself, Road bit off the top part of her lollipop.

"I'm going with Skin, and those two." The two girls behind Road bowed, but Lulu Bell took no notice of them.

* * *

><p>Allen Walker swung his own suitcase with no effort, watching Lavi struggle to pull his up every step. Indeed, frequently moving around with Cross had its merits; Allen had mastered the art of packing luggage without making it bulky.<p>

"Here, let me help you." A rather enormous man, dressed in a plain, beige outfit with a hood and a backpack, took Lavi's luggage and easily moved it up the last few steps. Noticing Allen's surprise, he smiled warmly.

"I am the Finder assigned to your group, I will be travelling with you on your Mission."

Allen blinked once, and then reached out his hand. "I'm Allen Walker. Nice to meet you."

The Finder shook his hand. "My name is Toma."

CRASH.

The small commotion, multipled hundred-fold by the Hall, caught the attention of everyone. Allen turned his head towards the source, but was unable to see anything.

"Oi, watch where you're going!" What was obviously Kanda's voice rang through the Great Hall.

"I-I-I'm s-s- sorry! S-Sorry! P-Please forgive me-e! I-I'm really sorry!" An unfamiliar, soon-to-be-bawling voice stuttered back.

"Kanda, why are you always this mean? You – (Bam) – should -(Bam)- be more- (Bam) – polite! -(Bam)(Bam) Oh, no Miranda, it's okay, don't cry –" Lenalee's voice, first angry then apologetic, echoed through the Hall, with punctures of what sounded like a clipboard being hit against a head.

When Allen succeeded in pushing his way through the crowd, he saw Kanda rubbing his head with murderous intent, while Lenalee attempted to comfort a girl whom he assumed was Miranda, currently howling about being useless and lousy. Timcanpy stirred on his head, the noise had probably woken it up. Kanda noticed him, and scowled.

_Oh, he probably isn't very happy about travelling with me. I wonder whether the Akuma or him will finish me first…_

"Ba-Kanda, why were you so rude to her? It was probably your slowness that made you collide in the first place, you know." Allen directed to Kanda, who immediately retorted.

"Slow, Beansprout? Do you know what time it is? You're always late." Kanda's eyes flashed dangerously. Timcanpy took off from Allen's head, detecting danger.

"The name's Allen, Ba-Kanda, AL – LEN. Oh, I forgot, you're too slow to remember this."

Kanda's killer aura reached its peak. "Damn Beansprout, I'll slice you to pieces!"

Lenalee smacked Allen and Kanda's heads.

A few meters above, Timcanpy happily recorded the whole thing.

* * *

><p>Allen fidgeted uncomfortably on his seat while Kanda scowled and Lenalee glowered at them both. Lavi casually leaned back in his seat and engaged in conversation with the only other person in their group who was not distracted; Miranda was still busy crying and Toma was amusing himself with thoughts of <em>Aw, children are so cute. I wonder how long they'll last in this blasted place.<em> However, Lavi was quick to realize that Suman Dark did not make the ideal conversation partner; he was cold, his answer length comparable to Kanda's, and he had absolutely no sense of humor. _This is gonna be one boring ride_, Lavi privately thought.

"All students, good morning~! This is the Principal speaking~!"

All the students reluctantly turned over to face the stage. A fat, sadistically grinning man with a top hat stared at all of them. Allen's eyes caught the Principal's for a moment, he had the impression that the latter's eyes were staring through him, reading his thoughts and planning to kill him. He tore his eyes away and stared at the curtain surrounding the stage instead.

"Now, now, all of you should be aware that you will be departing for your Missions soon. Your Finder will guide you as to where you have to go, and what you have to do. May you have a successful Mission, dear students~!"

There was a scattered amount of applause; most people had not been expecting the speech to end so quickly. Toma stood up, and signaled for the rest of the group to follow him. Kanda was the last in the line, grudgingly putting one foot in front of the other, as they headed for a train.

* * *

><p>"Wow, first class? Really?" Allen's eyes lit up at the shiny plaque on the polished mahogany door. Lavi pushed Allen aside, then opened the door and swaggered in, stretching out on a luxurious seat. Allen walked in, still with a look of disbelieving etched on his face. <em>Wow. And I used to have to ride on the rooftop, while Cross always went for first class…<em>

This recollection faded as Kanda, who had come in after Lenalee, Miranda, Suman and Toma, slammed the door promptly upon his own entry.

"Oi Kanda! What did you do that for?" AIllen shouted.

"You got a problem with that, Beansprout?" Came Kanda's reply, in an I'm-going-to-rip-out-your-damned-guts tone. Allen opened his mouth to retort, but decided, for safety reasons, not to do so.

_This ride is going to take forever._

Allen pouted and crossed his arms.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I was actually kidding about the 'angsty' part. However, please note that this will be the most lighthearted chapter for quite a while. And updates will get more erratic./shot

And you are wonderful to have read to this point, regardless of whether you reviewed. Still, each review is really appreciated, whether it's constructive criticism or a small shove to hurry up and update already.

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Pretend

Since I'm not good at expressing emotions, I'll be talking Miranda-style.

UWAH I-I-I'M SO SORRY I TOOK SO LONG! IT'S ALL BECAUSE I'M SO USELESS! S-S-SORRY! /Wails/

I apologize for taking _forever_ to write this out. Really. Sorry guys. /SHOT/

Okay, I was so slow because of various reasons but I won't say them here. If you really want to forgive me (please forgive me, pleease?) the reasons are on my profile.

So, please forgive me for my irregular slowpoke writing.

Disclaimer: If I owned D.G by my current speed standards, it would be far slower than it already is.

Warning: Could be boring. Also includes pre-exams depression and less-than-good writing, amongst other things too many to list.

Extra: I am from Asia, and therefore not familiar with the names of towns and people and stuff from Europe. (I was also too lazy to do research) Therefore, I made all of these names up! Muahaha!

**This chapter features some words in Italian, French, Polish and whatever Google Translate throws at me. Don't worry about the D.G cast not understanding it, I mean, they talk in Japanese, write letters in English, signboards in French and Chinese. Those multilingual geniuses.**

**A/N :** I cannot stress enough that I really don't know any Italian or whatever that appears in this fic. However Hoshino decided that the Black Order was located in Europe, so I decided to stick with it, along with the timeline. Please correct me if I do something blatantly wrong. And the next chapter will have a lot of blood. A LOT.

**Oh, and would you like to attempt solving the mystery presented in this chapter?**

* * *

><p>+Chapter Eight+<p>

* * *

><p>"So, the general idea is to find all the missing people? And finish off the Akuma?" Allen enquired, after Toma had finished his instructions.<p>

Toma nodded gravely. "Yes, though the main priority is to kill all the Akuma. You will be reaching the town of Morente soon, I think." He peered out of the windows, at the sunset sky so vividly splashed with blood red that it spilled into the carriage, giving everything a royally dark crimson shade.

Kanda glanced at the sky with an air of unconcern, his eyes reflecting the sky for a moment, gleaming red. Unable to pursue his usual antics, Lavi had fallen asleep, sprawled across a seat. Miranda was gazing dreamily into midair, while Lenalee played a game of chess with Suman. Timcanpy fluttered restlessly above all of them.

The train jerked to a sudden stop, and Allen was almost thrown backwards at Kanda. _Almost._ After all, he had just regained a small glimpse of hope at surviving past that day, after Lenalee defended him with a clipboard. He did not want to lose that hope. Steadying himself, Allen watched as Lenalee prodded Lavi awake and Suman pushed the carriage doors open, before heading out into the rapidly darkening scarlet that waited outside.

* * *

><p>Once past the steam and noise of the train station, the group of six followed Toma to the closest inn, the setting sun wreaking havoc on their shadows. A few minutes later, they had arrived at a small building with an old, weather-beaten sign. The word 'Inn' could barely be made out. After squinting at it for a moment, Toma entered the building, and the group lagged behind.<p>

"Ah, good evening, sir, and welcome to my inn." A portly man bowed, while Allen and the others filed in slowly. The man stared at the small crowd, clearly unaccustomed to having so many people in his inn at once.

"I- This many people? All of you must be travelers. I doubt that this small inn would have enough rooms to accommodate all of you, so you may have to share…"

"I see. Just how many rooms are there left?"

"We have three rooms as of the moment, sir."

Suman interrupted the conversation. "We should go to another inn." It occurred to Allen that he had never heard him speak before.

The innkeeper shook his head. "Sir, rooms are currently hard to find in the town. These three rooms are probably amongst the last few available. "

"Why are there so few rooms left?" Toma asked, taking out a map.

The innkeeper sat down on a chair. "You see, sir, the richest man in our town is appealing to bounty hunters all over to find his missing daughter. The reward if they succeed is so great that it has drawn attention from many people, even those far away from the town. However, many of these bounty hunters themselves have also been reported missing since the search started."

"I see. Then, could you show us how this daughter of his looks like?" Toma folded his map up and replaced it in his backpack.

"Yes, of course." The man slowly reached for a cupboard handle, moments later withdrawing a portrait of a young, dark-haired girl, so heavily covered with makeup that her cheeks were entirely scarlet. "Her name is Vivian, and she was due for marriage to a duke's son in a few weeks. What an untimely incident."

Allen stared at the portrait. Underneath all the powder and God-knows-what covering her face, he had to admit that she seemed rather pretty… a little familiar, but he could not place his finger on it.

Maybe he was just tired. Some sleep sounded good right now.

He just hoped that he wouldn't need to share a room with Kanda. _Please no._

* * *

><p>Allen watched as Toma spread a sleeping mat on the corridor floor outside, while Lavi fluffed up a pillow on his bed and Suman scowled at his company. His conscience pulling at him, Allen got up from his mat, rubbed his eyes and opened the door. It was freezing outside. He thought back to ten minutes ago.<p>

_Kanda glared at all the people, then glanced at the three rooms. His voice betrayed a hint of fatigue; he was probably tired as well._

"_Female exorcists there, this is my room, and the rest of you," he glanced at Suman, Allen and Lavi, "get that room."_

"_What about Toma?" Allen asked angrily._

_Kanda headed towards his room._

"_The finder can sleep outside."_

_Despite the furious outbursts from most of the group, Allen did not want to aggravate Kanda further._

So now Allen stepped out of the room, inviting Toma in.

It would be a little crowded, but…

_Friends should always share._

Pausing to silently employ a few of Cross's choicest swear words at Kanda's door, Allen closed his.

* * *

><p>High above the ground, on the rooftop of the Museum, a lithe and nimble shadow gracefully walked along the edge, ignoring the alarm blaring through the town. As this figure caught a glimpse of polished badges and tired eyes, it stopped for a moment, as though amused by the fact that a police taskforce was on its tail. The figure waved a bag of loot at them, enjoying the sport of taunting its failing captors.<p>

"No! We must not fail! Show Maskarada what the police force is made of!" The head officer yelled, while a dozen policemen struggled to balance along the roof edge; a feat that the mysterious figure, now leaping from rooftop to rooftop, managed too easily. It took out a sword, and with a few swipes, caused most of the rooftop to collapse.

BAM.

The whole taskforce of police dropped from the roof, sickening cracks mingling with groans of agony. Maskarada took out a sheet of paper and let it fall, slowly, until it landed on top of the pile of unconscious policemen. Then, the figure took off to the night sky.

The policemen gaped, wide-eyed.

_M-Maskarada can fly?_

Before they had time to react, several shadows formed overhead.

"Everyone! Retreat!"

The police scrambled to get out of the way, as bullets rained down upon them.

_One moment, a gleaming building. Next moment, ash._

And dead, heavy silence descended upon the air.

* * *

><p>After a hearty breakfast, Allen and the rest of the group had split up to find any clues that could lead them to the missing girl. Apparently, most of the bounty hunters were reluctant to part with information that they had ferreted out, unless they were bribed. Wallet significantly lighter, Allen took a small rest in a café, comparing his current findings with Lavi, who was squinting at his notes.<p>

_Vivian Scoperto_

_Girl is in her late teens, of average height, hardly seen in public. She has long black hair and does not talk much. Father, Alastair Scoperto can be very unreasonable, often neglects Daughter .Bad relationship between the two. It is rumored that Vivian did not want to marry the duke's son. From her room, there is a huge hole and other evidence that suggest she did not leave willingly._

Lavi finished reading, putting the notes on the table and taking a sip of his coffee. Allen gobbled up the last of his cream cake, Timcanpy nestling in his hair.

"Allen, did you have to eat this so fast?"

Allen nodded ferociously, fighting to swallow the bulging mouthful of cake. A few moments later, he seemed to regain composure. Lavi put down his coffee.

"Our notes are similar, I doubt that the rest found anything new as well."

Allen wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Uh, I did find something else. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with Vivian's disappearance though."

Lavi tilted his head slightly, a sign for Allen to continue.

"The police here didn't look into this case because they were busy trying to catch a thief. This thief is notorious for escaping the most well-planned traps, eradicating complete buildings and killing masses of people, making off with the most valuable items."

Lavi took his last sip of coffee in silence.

"What does this have to do with Scoperto's disappearance?

"Uh, there were signs of a struggle, and…"

"And what?"

"The police found crucial evidence to suggest that Vivian was taken by this thief."

"What? None of the brutes that I asked mentioned this important fact. You really outdid yourself this time. Wanna be a dectective someday?"

Allen immediately blushed furiously.

"B-But, I was just lucky to get a really drunk bounty hunter. It was scary, though. I think he thought I was a g-girl." He stammered out, his cheeks flushing scarlet.

Lavi was trying _not _to envision images of a drunken man flirting with a terrified Allen in some bar when he noticed that a very rowdy crowd had gathered a few metres away.

"Hey, Allen, let's go check that out."

"What? Lavi, we haven't paid the bill."

"We don't have enough money for all the cake you just ate. Let's flee while-"

"B-But-"

The next moment, Allen found himself dragged out and flying through the air with Lavi speeding in front of him. Before Allen could lecture Lavi on his actions, though, they had landed smack in the middle of the crowd. He looked around, his eyes finding-

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kanda irately questioned them, Lenalee backing in slowly. The crowd was making so much noise that Lavi's answer was inaudible. Why was the crowd targeting Kanda and Lenalee?

"Hey, girl! You're Vivian, right? Vivian Scoperti!" One voice in the crowd blurted out.

"Wait, I think there's been a mix up…" Lenalee tentatively said, aware that the crowd was advancing on her. More voices yelled at each other.

"She must be! Look, that man beside her! He has a sword!"

"Maskarada had a sword!"

"This must be them!"

Kanda looked extremely offended.

"This is a katana, not a damned ordinary sword."He brandished his mentioned possession aggressively. Lenalee groaned.

"Kanda, now is _not_ the time for this!"

She looked to Lavi pleadingly. He glanced at the mob, and pulled off his glove.

_A blast of stunning white-_

Allen felt fingers reaching for him-

_What's this? A pole?_

The next thing he knew, Allen was soaring through the open skies, clinging to that pole for dear life, while his hair fluttered wildly and attempted to poke his eyes. A yellow blur - Timcanpy was desperately biting on his hair.

He blinked.

Only then did he realize that the force crushing his lungs was the combined weight of Kanda and Lenalee, piled precariously on his back.

_Can't… breathe…_

Lavi sat calmly in front of them, navigating the… pole?

_Wait, he activated his innocence. That means… this is his hammer?_

"Hurry up and land, stupid rabbit." Kanda snapped.

"You should at least say thanks, Yu."Lavi called back, his eyebrows screwed together in concentration.

"Thanks, Lavi!" Lenalee replied breathlessly.

His eyes tearing up from lack of oxygen and the ridiculous speed they were travelling at, Allen dimly realized that they were slowing down.

BUMP.

_Oww, that hurt._

"Phew, we got away safely. You all owe me so much, you know?"Lavi smiled at all of them, hair slightly windswept. Kanda landed with poise, next to Lenalee, who was busy adjusting her hair ties. Allen lifted his face from the ground; it seemed that he was the only one who lost balance. Getting up, he gingerly rubbed his forehead.

"Come on, we should go somewhere soon, or they'll catch up."

* * *

><p>"I'm not sure, I was just walking when someone pointed at me and whispered to his partner. Then the whispers got louder and they started to think I was… her." Lenalee glanced at the portrait of Vivian. "And Vivian must have been traveling with another person, because they thought Kanda was… whoever Maskarada is."<p>

Lavi nodded, storing the information in his head for future use.

"Alright, we have one more place to go. The Scoperto mansion." He stood up, addressing all of the group; Miranda, Suman and Toma had rejoined them.

"Uh."Miranda quietly uttered.

"Yes, Miranda?"

"I uh, found out that Mister Scoperto disallows anyone to enter his mansion unless- unless they found his daughter."

"What? Why?"

"S-S-Some people mingled in with the crowd and stole many of his t-things."Miranda said slowly, fighting to keep her voice steady.

Lavi nodded, his face unreadable as he announced, "Okay then, we'll just have to pretend that we found his daughter."

Everyone stared at him.

Silence.

"Well, you should have an idea of what I mean. Lenalee here resembles Vivian. Since no one can find her, we'll get Lenalee to dress like her and go up to the mansion."

It was Lenalee that broke the silence that followed.

"I don't know, Lavi, this could go wrong in so many ways. Fooling strangers shouldn't be much of a problem, but, her own father?"

"It's our best chance. Besides, her father probably never got a good look at her under all the makeup."

"I-I-"

"Don't worry, we'll be near you if any Akuma attack."

"A-Akuma?"

"You haven't read the papers?"

"No, you took them."

Lavi now pulled out a slightly crumpled cutout, which he smoothed before handing it to Lenalee. The rest of the group leaned in to read.

_Maskarada strikes again!_

This caption was followed by a picture of smoldering ruins.

_The legendary bandit, Maskarada, was reported to have raided the Museum of Ancient, before mysteriously escaping and destroying the building, along with causing thirteen fatalities, the policemen in the group chasing her. This is the ninth disaster brought forth by the elusive Maskarada, and as in all previous cases, a single, white sheet of paper was found, unblemished, next to the badly charred corpses that could not be identified. Exactly what are Maskarada's abilities remain unknown, though alleged sightings of huge, hideous monsters just after Maskarada's escape suggest that he has the ability to conjure creatures of the darkness to his aid. The Head of the police and his investigators remain baffled as to (Continued on page A3)_

"Creatures of the darkness?" Allen echoed.

"Yes, I'm sure this refers to the Akuma. Though how Maskarada seems to be able to survive close contact with Akuma, I have no idea."

Lavi took back the sheet of paper from Lenalee and stuffed it back into his pockets, before continuing,

"So, our plan?"

* * *

><p>Lenalee dusted her face with yet another layer of rouge, coughing up a cloud of pink. Miranda smoothed her hair with a comb, the group having decided that leaving Lenalee's hair down was the best way; they had no idea how Vivian tied her hair. Lenalee was now dressed in a long, pink and lacy dress, which combined with her scarlet cheeks, reminded Allen of a melted cake with pink icing. Once he had gotten over that impression, though, he was surprised; Lenalee was now the splitting image of Vivian Scoperti.<p>

"Wow, Lenalee. Looks like my plan's gonna work after all!" Lavi strode into the room, inspecting Lenalee.

"I-I'm not sure…" said Lenalee, in a apprehensive tone. She looked into a mirror hesitantly, then recoiled in shock.

"T-That's me? Really?"

* * *

><p>[Scoperti Mansion, Entrance]<p>

Suman and Miranda lifted Lenalee off the carriage – the dress was proving far too difficult to maneuver in. As they inched across to the gates surrounding Scoperti Mansion, the skyline revealed a huge hole blasted through the left side of the building.

* * *

><p>[Somewhere near, at the roof of a building]<p>

Allen and Lavi fought over the binoculars, while Kanda rested his back on a pillar. Artificial light enforcing the shadows beneath his fringe, he got up and snatched the binoculars from the duo.

"Shut up already."

Lavi snatched them back.

"Aw, Yu's so scary!"

Allen, however, thought it wiser than to taunt Kanda while he was in 'Battle mode'. Timcanpy agreed, circling his head.

Lavi lost the carefree tone in his voice and eyes when he spoke next.

"Yu, try to be careful. Akuma could attack anytime. If Allen here senses their presence, I'll create a fire seal. You should be able to see it clearly."

Kanda stepped away briskly.

"Don't call me Yu again. Or I'll slice you to death."

* * *

><p>[Scoperti Mansion, Entrance]<p>

A guard glanced at the visitors, sizing them up, before realizing who was with them. His eyes widening in shock, he abandoned all pretence of hostility.

"Miss- Mistress Scoperti! I-I… Who might you be?"

Suman bowed. "I am Suman Dark, and this here is Miss Lotto."

Miranda curtsied nervously.

"Uh, alright then, Mister Dark and Miss Lotto, please allow me to escort all of you to the mansion."

Lenalee, disguised as Vivian Scoperti, inhaled slightly before taking her first step into the Mansion grounds.

* * *

><p>End.<p>

* * *

><p>More than three thousand words! Yay! Though the standard probably slipped after all my inactiveness coughs awkwardly/

The mystery is…

Who is Maskarada? What happened to Vivian? Just why are Akuma attacking in such an organized fashion?

**Reviews speed up updates and improve my quality of writing?**


	9. Fallen

Yes, I agree that I should really write faster… and better…

*coughs* This A/N will be short, don't worry.

Disclaimer: I could have sworn that I owned D. G, but my dog ate the deed!

(Note the sarcasm.)

Warning: OOCness (note Lenalee especially) and violence-but-not-really, if I am successful at portraying it. Hopefully I am? There's also some language. (Bad!Lenalee being bad.)

**Character Death occurs! (Yeah well actually this guy's not going to be fully dead yet but -)**

* * *

><p><strong>+Chapter Nine: Fallen+<strong>

* * *

><p>[Scoperti Mansion, entrance] <strong>AN: **_Lenalee's thoughts_

Lenalee, disguised as Vivian Scoperti, inhaled slightly before taking her first step into the Mansion grounds.

The place was huge. Despite the gaping hole on the roof, and the wilting gardens, it was clear that the owner of this place was filthily, extravagantly, needlessly rich. As she did her best to stay balanced, the guard pushed the doors open, and led the group into the main hall. Better lighting revealed that this guard was extremely young, perhaps only thirteen or fourteen.

_He has such dead eyes._

A few moments later, another grand door burst open – and a thin, balding man walked through hurriedly. If not for his expensive suit and drooping, once-grand moustache, Lenalee would never have known who this was.

He now stared fixatedly at Lenalee, who fidgeted uncomfortably.

"V-Vivian?"

"Uh, I –"

_Oh my goodness how am I going to answer this I can't be like 'hi dad' and all –_

Suman cut across sharply.

"When I found her, she seemed to have lost most of her memory."

_Thank you, thank you Suman! You're the best! I'll never make fun of your lousy chess skills again! If we ever get out of this alive…_

The old man's eyes lit up.

"S-She lost her memory?"

_That's weird. Why did his eyes light up? I swear he looked happy for a moment there._

"I-I see."

The old man, Alastair, took a moment to recollect himself.

"Come, my daughter, you must be tired. And you two," He smiled at Suman and Miranda, "Please wait for a while to collect your reward." He beamed at Lenalee, who now looked pale in spite of the red powder on her face.

_Oh no. Now what? Are you telling me that I should stay with this old man until he finds out that I'm not his daughter and kicks me out and – oh, damn you, Lavi. It's all your fault I got into this mess – _

Suman spoke. "Sir, I think that it would be better if Miss Miranda here came with Vivian. She has lost her memory, after all, and Miranda has been her caregiver these past few days."

Alastair considered this, and nodded.

_Go Suman! Who knew you were this good at smooth talking, you never opened your mouth much._

Miranda clasped Lenalee's arm, barely disguising her nervousness.

* * *

><p>[Scoperti Mansion, left corridor] <strong>AN: **_Suman's thoughts_

As Suman soundlessly stepped over the unconscious body of the young guard, his eyes wandered around, locating Vivian's room effortlessly.

_Honestly, a pink plague for her name. What is with this girl and the colour pink?_

He hid the guard in a broom cupboard before proceeding.

_I was going to leave him alone, but he kept on following me. Hopefully he wakes up after a few hours, more than enough to ensure our escape._

The air was musty and eerie, and as Suman stepped forward, something seemed amiss.

_What is this feeling…?_

He stopped, wide-eyed, at the sight of black, deadly pentacles covering every inch of the room he was about to enter. The mark of Akuma.

_This feeling._

_It's that feeling you get –_

He took a step back.

_When someone points a gun at your head._

"Innocence activate!"

He ducked, as Akuma bullets shot through where his head had been just a millisecond before. He twisted, aiming at the attacker – wind slashed through, as he clawed the air, manipulating it to move.

Blood splattered onto the walls, infecting them with the black stars.

_That was not the only one. There must be more…_

He felt the presence of many, many eyes on him.

* * *

><p>[Rooftop, some distance away]<p>

"Lavi, I see Akuma."

"How many?"

"Uncountable. They appeared so suddenly, it was as if they were in the mansion already –"

"Alright, let's go over."

Lavi lifted his hammer, and brought it down, hard – a circle of fire shot upwards, disappearing in the clouds.

* * *

><p>[Mansion entrance]<p>

A pillar of fire burst into the clouds above, some distance away. Kanda rushed into the Mansion, now seemingly devoid of any security.

* * *

><p>[Dining room 3]<p>

Lenalee stared, horrified, as Alastair pulled out a gun.

"You are not my daughter."

His face was expressionless.

"My daughter is dead."

And now he pulled the trigger –

"Time Record, activate!"

The bullet lightly grazed Lenalee's forehead, before slowly retreating back into the gun, and Alastair stood still, frozen in time, as a golden sphere swallowed him.

Miranda held out a glowing disk on her wrist, trying not to tremble.

"T-This should hold him for some time." Miranda half-collapsed onto Lenalee. "Y-You almost died, Lenalee! Time Record can't turn back deaths, y-you almost d-died!"

Lenalee supported the now bawling Miranda up.

"It's okay, Miranda. Thanks for saving me." She gave the sobbing girl a light squeeze on her shoulder, reassuring her that she was still alive.

Miranda wiped her tears away.

"W-What should we do now, Lenalee?"

Lenalee ripped the dress away to knee level, revealing pink stilettos, which she tore off.

"Innocence activate!"

Darkness rippled out of the pentacles on her ankles, and snaked around her legs, condensing to form the Dark Boots.

"We find Suman, and escape."

* * *

><p>[Remnants of left corridor]<p>

Suman crawled and clawed his way to a wall. He was cornered, helpless and about to become a mere number on the school's fatality report. A pale woman, resembling Lenalee even as she grinned inhumanely, stood over him, her uncovered mask resting on a palm, while twisted, corrupted, dead eyes roamed on the features of doomed Suman. A large pentacle of broken black stood out from her pale forehead, a single integer in the middle. A level three Akuma.

"Innocence! I want Innocence…"

Suman tried not to grimace even as he attempted to straighten up, and fell down, his legs – now useless, bloody stumps, refusing to lend him strength to escape.

_Of course – Vivian is Maskarada – she must have turned all of her servants into Akuma, before making it seemed like she was kidnapped – and then taking on the alias of that mask, making her father come up with a story – all of this – why? Why me?_

"Exorcist. I want Innocence."

_Innocence._

_That's it._

_It's all because-_

_Because-_

_Of Innocence!_

_I hate you, Innocence!_

_Why_

_I don't want to die -_

_Why_

_Did you choose me _

_All I wanted_

_Was to live peacefully _

_Happily-_

_But_

_You ruined that!_

_Why!_

_I want to live on!_

_I want to see her again!_

_Why!_

_I hate you-_

_Innocence._

_If only…_

_If only you never chose me._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

Suman felt his heart rapidly pumping blood throughout his body.

_The wonder of being alive. Will I ever feel it again?_

His heartbeat skipped once, than twice, then stopped.

_What? But I'm still-_

_ARRGGGG!_

_Pain! Pain – make it stop! Please! I'll do anything!_

But his heart was now eternally silenced, and yet he felt so much pain –

His body swelled, and Akuma-Vivian watched in near-fascination as a huge, destructive being erupted out of Suman and broke through the walls.

"It's a Fallen One." She whispered to herself.

* * *

><p>[Main Hall]<p>

Kanda braced himself as yet another wave of Akuma attacked. All of the servants had turned out to be high leveled Akuma - there was not one living soul left in the place months before they had arrived.

But even as he sliced through flesh and blood and had his arms stained in crimson, he caught sight of rays of light, destroying _everything_ in seconds.

A huge structure, with a human head and torso, straightened and began to rise, slowly, into the sky.

Its face was contorted in pain, screaming, wailing, even as rays of destruction shot out from its body.

_A Fallen One._

* * *

><p>[Rooftop of Scoperti Mansion]<p>

Lenalee dropped down on her knees, screaming.

She knew that face.

It had smiled when he won at chess, or when he saw small children.

She knew he had a soft spot for children and books.

_Suman._

And Fallen Suman wailed, unleashing even more rays, more doomed than ever.

* * *

><p>End.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Wow, thanks for reading up to this point. I would like to point out that I'm still using this as some kind of experiment (cos it's my first fic), and I'll be switching writing styles regularly as I attempt to get comfortable with one. Then maybe I'll rewrite the path of destruction I left behind (Aka the previous chapters) someday. So some feedback? Please? Feel free to point out my mistakes – I made so many in the last chapter, I swore to rewrite it.


	10. Rivers I

**A/N**: I'm back. That's right, I'm back.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own D. gray-man. I know, huge shock, isn't it?

NOTES: Innocence Break is the second stage of Innocence in this AU. It allows you to essentially launch massively offensive attacks, but drains you very quickly and has life threatening side effects. It sounded good in my head okay.

* * *

><p>Chapter Ten Part I: Rivers<p>

* * *

><p>"Life is for the living.<br>Death is for the dead.  
>Let life be like music.<br>And death a note unsaid."

― Langston Hughes, The Collected Poems

:

:

Lenalee screamed.

The monstrous abomination before her was Suman, and yet it no longer was.

Too weak to resist the sudden pull of gravity, she collapsed on her knees, and Miranda knelt down next to her helplessly. The latter racked her brains for a method out, for a miraculous solution to Suman's plight and Lenalee's despair. For Suman could not be dead – moments ago he had just assured her that it would be alright, that everything would be fine, that there was no cause for her worry. The broken monster in front of her could not be Suman, for any moment now, the real Suman would surely walk up to them, the usual nonchalant expression on his completely unharmed face, and Lenalee would cease her tears and break into a watery smile. Yes, yes, Miranda was sure of it. She looked around to make sure.

_No one._

And the other girl too dissolved into tears.

* * *

><p>Allen stood before the harbinger of death, his eyes locked upon the ghastly sight. It was not an Akuma – he could not see any soul being forcefully attached to it. Lavi shook the boy.<p>

'Lavi, what – what's that?'

'Suman's Innocence is attacking him. That's a Fallen One.'

'Why… Why?'

'He… for want of a better explanation, rebelled against his lot. Against his Innocence.'

'…'

'Come on, let's go stop him. Grief comes later.'

_Is that what happens? When you refuse your Innocence?_

Allen felt something icy slide into his chest.

* * *

><p>Kanda sped across the courtyard, sidestepping any remaining Akuma. Flocks of them had floated away, blind instinct directing them to the Innocence in its most raw, destructive form.<p>

_This cannot be. He had died to make sure of it._

Rushing towards what his heart begged him to run away from, Kanda steeled himself for what was to come.

* * *

><p>Kanda never hesitated - it was a sort of personal motto. For he lived his life sword before mind, and he had seen people live and die. To hesitate would be to cost him the precious seconds that he needed to claw his existence back from certain mortality.<p>

'SUMAN! SUMAN –'

'STOP IT, ALLEN-!'

'NO, not Suman, why -'

'I'm useless, if only-'

And yet he hesitated. He was harsh, he knew, and a group deaf to the words he needed them to know would not be helpful in the least.

'Lenalee, stop crying.' She paid him no heed. He pressed on.

'Go evacuate the village.' No response was heard.

'Hmph. They could die for all I care.'

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

'If you care for the fate of these people, then go.' said Kanda, with a note of finality.

Allen squeezed Lenalee's shoulder and handed her Timcanpy. A golem capable of tracking humans would be useful.

'Walker, Lotto, come with me. Lavi, follow Lenalee.'

* * *

><p>Toma was scribbling furiously in his notepad.<p>

_**Suman Dark**__** X**_

_Good fighter, excellent manipulator, good planner, decisive and fast to take action__**. FALLEN**_

_**Lenalee Lee**_

_Fair fighter, indecisive, unsuited for battle, too feeling and sympathetic._

_**Yu Kanda**_

_Excellent fighter, suited at battle, lacks co-operation, lacks planning, stubborn._

_**Allen Walker**_

_Good fighter, indecisive, battle range is very far, sharp senses, too feeling and sympathetic._

_**Lavi Bookman Jr.**_

_Excellent fighter, excellent planner, far battle range, extremely good instinct, suited for battle, good team member._

_**Miranda Lotto**_

_Poor fighter, excellent ability (time manipulation, apparently), unconfident, indecisive, extremely unsuited for battle._

_What a fruitful Mission! Indeed the Principal made the right decision to continue it this year_, Toma thought to himself, going back to his binoculars like an avid birdwatcher.

* * *

><p>'Kanda, stop - Are you going to kill him? This is Suman-!'<p>

'Why can't you just get it through your thick skull that this IS NOT SUMAN! He's long gone, long dead, NEVER COMING BACK!'

Desperate, Allen attempted, 'There's definitely a method to get him out – We could pull out his body-'

The tintinnabulation of metal sounded as Allen blocked Kanda's increasingly strong attacks.

'Are you trying to get us all killed-?'

_BOOM_. The Fallen One crushed a clutter of huts. The buzz of Akuma surrounded them.

Ignoring everything else, Allen and Kanda parried and blocked each other.

'TIME RECORD, HALT!' Miranda roared. The two fighters froze halfway in motion.

'WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING EACH OTHER? WHY? CAN'T YOU BOTH JUST SHUT UP AND – and-'

All the bite had gone out of Miranda's voice.

'-And save Suman… stop his pain?'

She undid time record. Allen and Kanda fell to the ground, disorientated.

.

.

'I-I'm sorry, Miranda.'

Allen rearranged his claw. Kanda gestured his sword to what remained of Suman.

'You pin down the Fallen One, I cut him out. Lotto, keep the Akuma at bay with that sphere thing.'

Nodding, Allen expanded his claw to trap Suman, swatting away the swarms of Akuma, and Miranda focused on creating a circumference large enough. Kanda slashed his sword, summoning hordes of ghostly apparitions that tore through the foul concoctions of man and machine, littering them all with ashes.

A large cloud of smoke and debris bellowed and cleared: The Fallen One wailed and struggled, but remained firmly clasped under Allen's gigantic claw.

'Now, Kanda!'

Kanda leaped onto the shell of a man. Soon enough, he located the gaping depths that Suman's original body was located in, and started to extricate it, lopping off the pieces of fiber attached. Suman himself moved painfully, his eyes coming to a poignant rest at impassive Kanda. _Help, _he mouthed.

Kanda sunk ever deeper into the pool of plasma, trying _so hard_ to free Suman.

_Alma would want that, too._

_He would want closure, a chosen death._

* * *

><p>Lavi had shouted until his voice was hoarse. <em>Where was Lenalee?<em> He and Timcanpy had combed every nook and cranny in the area, and there was no one, nothing left - except for the myriad of Akuma that continuously descended from the swarms overhead, attracted to his Innocence, to the scent of the living. They exploded in the swirl of fiery heat that Lavi produced.

'Lenalee, Lenalee!'

There were so many Akuma. Lavi began to feel his arms ache and his breathing rate grow alarmingly fast.

* * *

><p>A level three Akuma loomed over Lenalee, griping her hair with massive, clumsy fingers. It peered over to the smoking carcass of a level two Akuma, the shredded remains of a well-tailored suit and a shotgun lying next to it. Another level three Akuma, ripping off the uncanny resemblance to Lenalee that it wore as a mask, stood sentry over the area, deploying its ability of concealing presences.<p>

'Picture: Little girl, far from home, about to die tragically in the hands of the main villain.'

'Shut up with that,' said Akuma-Vivian, 'It's really annoying.'

Akuma-Artist replied, 'Picture: The tortured artist remains calm despite the dagger-like insults thrown at him.'

'Shut up or I'll kill you. And claim girlie all to myself.'

'...Picture: Foolish sidekick offends the swashbuckling Master Villain.'

'…I think she's awake.'

Indeed, Lenalee stirred feebly. Her eyes soon adjusted to the two Akuma in front of her –

_I can't take out all of them! How, how?_

'Hello, little girl,' Akuma-Vivian mocked. Lenalee felt the tension on her scalp slacken - Akuma-Artist was not a careful one.

'Goodbye, little girl-'

'INNOCENCE, BREAK!'

The dark boots transformed, sleeker, colder –

Narrow blades appeared on the soles. They meant that Lenalee would not be able to rest or land, but she would gain a higher offensive ability.

She kicked - flew up three paces, brushed against a claw, and stabbed into the Akuma's head. Expecting the sinking sensation of cutting flesh, Lenalee instead felt the clash of metal - the fingers of the Akuma lunged – once again trapping her locks in its grasp, like the tangled hair of a neglected doll. Akuma-Artist peered at Lenalee through insect-like eyes.

'That's a feisty one, isn't it?' it crooned.

Lenalee could feel her scalp burning from the pulling.

'Let's finish her off.' Akuma-Vivian swooped down.

The girl could see the Akuma choosing which finger to stab through her, on which finger would her own blood run too free and too fresh.

_No – No!_

Desperate, Lenalee pulled out a shard from her shoe, and sliced it through her hair.

_I can fly, I can make it, I can –_

She couldn't. She collapsed, a heap on the ground that would be her final resting place-

'Accept your fate, girl! Only one road is paved for all of you pathetic users of Innocence!' Akuma-Vivian crackled afresh, its fingers morphed into a crude lance.

Lenalee started crawling, handfuls of scorched earth one after another, her heart seemingly determined to use up all her allocated heartbeats before her time was up –

_I… don't want to die! Save me!_

* * *

><p>'Please, kill… me.' Fallen-Suman begged, his voice barely above a whisper.<p>

Tears streamed down Allen's and Miranda's faces as they choked on words unsaid. Kanda unsheathed his sword once again.

'Alright. Goodbye.' He readied his blade.

.

_For he already belongs to Death, what is the use in bringing him back?_

_Leave him in peace where he belongs, and let his sorrows cease forevermore._

_Alma had always had a thing for bad poetry, _Kanda thought.

.

Blood splayed onto every surface, and ran like rivers, seeping into the ground. Miranda clasped her hands together, and Allen stood firm, blinding white in the sea of crimson.

* * *

><p>'Akuma presence there - LENALEE!'<p>

_A-Allen?_

_You came._

And the frightened little girl finally caved in to unconsciousness.

Miranda grabbed her as she fell. The chopped, frayed hair, the pallid face, and the numerous scars and bruises - she took them in, guilt sinking her heart.

Kanda and Lavi assumed battle positions. Allen dug into the remnants of the Akuma's concealing shield, forcing it to disintegrate and reveal the enemy. Out they rose, two metallic structures of mass destruction - Kanda swerved and stabbed, Lavi schemed and protected.

'Innocence break.' An electric current coated Kanda's sword and sheath, and he dashed forward, swiftly impaling an Akuma. A heavy groan, a bright flash – ashes. The other Akuma was flying away, far out of reach.

'Kanda, hammer!'

Lavi expanded his Innocence, Kanda leaped onto it – and with a forceful swing, Kanda was airborne, and he plunged the twin weapons one after another into the thick metallic hide of the monster. An explosion – then silence, bar the _thud_ of the sword user's landing.

He looked completely fine, but slowly, Kanda arched backwards and collapsed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Chapter 10 pt. 2 will be out as soon as I finish it. It will be very short, just to let you all know.

**Please leave a review for the needy author.**

**I'll go around all your fanfictions and leave reviews too. /desperate/**

**EXTRA: **Please tell me if you will like Chimera to include romance. Of course, romance will still not be the main point, but it does add an extra bond between certain characters and makes the entire fanfiction much more enjoyable (says my shipper mind). So? Romance Yes / No? What pairing(s)?


	11. Rivers II

**A/N**: Many, many thanks to **AKiy0z** for braving the onslaught of bad fic writing that is Chimera and actually making it fit for human eyes. She's the new beta, so that means I might actually update faster!

I decided not to put the entirety of _Do not stand at my grave and weep_. It's a personal favourite of mine, and there are many variations of it.

Sorry for being so incredibly late (As usual). There will be a second note at the bottom of this chapter, so see you later.

**Beware**: Extremely OOC characters. Many of the cast members in the dgm universe don't have nearly enough screentime for me to put together an interesting personality, so I took many liberties.

* * *

><p>Rivers II<p>

* * *

><p>Do not stand at my grave and weep;<p>

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

-Mary Elizabeth Frye

* * *

><p>Allen was coped up in his tent, listening to the radio. The hotel had been destroyed, even though it lay far from the outskirts still teeming with Akuma. Never mind the fatality rate of the town–<p>

'-A shocking 21% of the overall population, roughly 500 people declared missing, with their families in denial and –' cracked the faraway static voice of the newscaster.

'Suman's… gone.'

A crushing mass weighed down upon his conscience – he had known beforehand: the plan was ridiculous and dangerous. _If I had detected the Akuma faster; if I had been stronger, Suman would not have died._

'Tim, why am I so useless?' Allen grabbed hold of Timcanpy's cheeks and stretched them, preoccupied with his thoughts.

_Nothing's even changed at all. It's like Suman never existed. Toma didn't even ask what happened to him – and now I think of it, he wasn't even with us all this time! Why, are we all simply insignificant chess pieces? _

Then it dawned on him.

_We are. We're just chess pieces – '_OUCH Timcanpy why did you bite – oh. Sorry.'

Allen released the now swollen cheeks of the golem, who fluttered weakly before settling in its preferred nest of white.

'Don't bite my hair off, got it?'

Timcanpy made an impatient 'phooff' in reply and snuggled more into the winter-white tangle it adored.

* * *

><p>Lenalee looked at her only mirror (Komui's only present that she allowed to be surfaced in public), staring at the stranger who followed her every move.<p>

_She has choppy hair, pallid skin and swollen eyes._

_But then, so do I._

_Suman would have personally come down to chastise me for being weak. I wish he would._

_Goodbye Suman, dear friend._

She frantically reached for a cloth to blow her nose on, and to dry her tears, _for surely if I continued at this rate I'll have no water left in me and I'll become a prune._

Despite herself, Lenalee fought the urge to giggle. _That very threat had been what Suman told those young children, so long ago. It had worked, much to her delight._

_What's wrong with me…?_

Tears began anew at the thought that she would never again hear any of Suman's ridiculous reasons for everything.

'Lenalee, stay strong!' She chided her reflection halfheartedly.

Kanda's familiar monotone sliced through the air deftly like those swords he used. '…You've become so ugly.'

_SNAP._

'KAANDDDAAAA! YOU – '

'… What about me?'

'Oh don't you even try making me think about that, Suman's just- just…'

She sat back down on her chair.

'Kanda, please, I'm not in the mood to fight- ARE THOSE SCISSORS? Wait, what?'

Kanda had taken out a comb, attempting to tame the nest that Lenalee's hair had woven itself into.

'I can't believe you're not a girl.' Lenalee said with disbelief, a reference to his prepubescent years.

_Clip, clip_, went the scissors.

'Kanda, you'll be the best mum ever.'

_Clip, clip._

_._

_._

_._

'Thanks, Kanda.'

_Clip._

* * *

><p>Miranda was lost in her cloud of thoughts as she wandered aimlessly about the grimy streets.<p>

Children were running about everywhere, searching for their family. A little boy wailed in a corner, his blond hair dirtied and knees scraped.

_I can't help. I can't help any of them._

A soft-spoken lady approached her, eye bags dark and bottom lip swollen red from biting.

'…Excuse me, have you seen this boy? He's my son – I can't find him – please!'

She held out a picture shakily. It depicted a smiling young boy, twirling his golden locks with his fingers and petting his dog.

Just as Miranda was about to shake her head and hurry off, she came to the realization that she had indeed seen the boy.

'I saw him! He's – there! In that alley…' Miranda's voice trailed off as she saw something arrive in the woman's heart.

Hope.

'I'll lead you there, come.' She bought her to the boy who had been crying loudly for his mother. Now he was silent, staring in wonder at the two people before him.

'MUM! MUM!'

The boy ran to the woman with legs that could not carry him fast enough, and allowed his mother's arms to finally welcome him back.

Miranda did not stay there. She had some survivors to reunite.

* * *

><p>'<em>Yes, yes, applicant 114738 confirmed fallen. Revoked application. Innocence retrieved.'<em>

'…_Ah, for this rank A Mission, they received a FAIL. You see, they did not complete any of the objectives required of them.'_

'…_On the next ride available, huh. I'll take care of it. Still, it has to be tomorrow, they're repairing the damaged train tracks.'_

_Finder Toma hung up the phone._

* * *

><p>'We're… going back to the school?' Allen asked quietly, his voice almost unheard amongst the discordant noise generated by the busy train station they were in. Earlier that morning, Toma had woken them and requested that they packed up.<p>

_He was sleeping in Suman's tent. Why did he not… not even ask about Suman?_

'Yes. You see, each Mission usually spans over a week, but the school has terminated your Mission and requests that you be back in it as fast as possible-'

Lavi cut in. 'So, we've failed.'

There was no reply, and they did not need one.

* * *

><p>Allen found himself staring at the village's signboard from the train window. The wood bore the marks of weather and age, but the black paint neatly set on it still stood out clearly.<p>

_Morente._

_Oh, such a fitting name for this town_, Allen remarked sardonically to himself.

And in the midst of the wispy smoke emanating out of the little engine room, the train surged onwards, and the town disappeared behind the mountains once more.

* * *

><p>'Ehhhh! Lulu! What if there's really a ghost?!'<p>

'Misters Anglerfish and Sunbear, I find it painfully ironic when people who specialize in tormenting and destroying the souls of others, like the two of you, are terrified of these so-called 'ghosts'.'

'Would you just shut up with the nicknames, Flat-chest? I bet Tyki-pet's really annoyed when you call him 'Smelly' too. Aren't you, Tyki-pet?'

'… You're not any better, Debitto-'

'-Would you all just shut your mouths before I personally seal them forever?' Lulu Bell looked up from the book she was reading.

_Silence. At last. _And just as she was beginning to bask in the glorious quietness of it all-

Tyki Mikk had missed the golden timing of a smart reply, but he tried anyway. 'I wouldn't mind _you_ sealing up my lips forever, if you know what I mean.'

Mimi found this the perfect moment to contribute her piece. '-Mistress Lulu Bell, you must be tired from the strenuous fights we have been engaging in. Would you like a feet massage –'

'Hey! What about me?' Sticking his left foot up on the table and pointing at her, Jasdero looked expectantly at Mimi.

'Mister Anglerfish, I am afraid you have not earned that particular right from me yet.'

'Lulu's a Noah, I'm a Noah, you serve the Noah! Why her and not me?'

'Because.'

'What kind of reason is that?!'

Lulu Bell sighed.

_To think that the human would be the most well-behaved…_

Indeed, Eeez was diligently continuing his research quietly, childish hands against the dusty spine of the worn book.

'Mimi, I don't need a massage. Jasdero, Debitto, stop fooling around and put all your legs back down on the floor. Tyki, don't you dare start smoking within thirty meters of me.'

'But Lulu!'

'NO. Get back to your work. We are attempting to find a plausible explanation-'

'-Didn't I just say, ghosts!-'

'-That does not include something without conclusive evidence of its existence, such as a ghost-'

'I say there's plenty of rock-solid evidence that ghosts exist.' Jasdero and Debitto spat out together, and proceeded to high five.

Lulu Bell pressed on. '-for the strange occurrences at the town Exetear, as seeing how it has nothing to do with Innocence. Is that clear?'

.

.

.

Taking a short break from her reading, Lulu Bell glanced at what she had gathered so far on their Mission. On one delicate sheet of faintly perfumed paper, an elegant script stated:

_Mission 0053_

_Exetear, Confictas Island_

_Find the cause of the Akuma swarms and exterminate it. Also destroy any stray Akuma._

_Finder in charge: Buzz Bodne_

_Akuma have been sighted circling above the town of Exetear. They are unable to enter the town but continue to swarm around it. This may be caused by the excessive fear invoked in the townsfolk, by the recent scare involving the family of Marie and John Grey. The events leading to the scare are as such below:_

_-Marie Grey died after experiencing very ill health._

_-Her eldest daughter, Olivia Grey died after her._

_-Another daughter, Mercy Grey soon also died due to unknown causes._

_-Following her death, a son, Edward Grey, experienced a heavy weight on his chest when he slept and his health deteriorated._

_-Soon, other people in the town experienced similar symptoms. There was no illness that matched the description. _

_-Alleged sightings of ghosts began and the town was quarantined by the government._

_-The people felt fearful and hopeless. Such strong negative feelings tend to attract Akuma. _

_We must do research in order to identify the true cause of the symptoms. To date, nothing of interest has turned up under the 'Science and Medicine' sections in the Exetear Royal Library._

'Lulu, didn't ya say not to slack off?', Debitto grinned.

'… '

'O-Okay, do what you want -just keep your hands off my neck…'

* * *

><p>'RESIDENTS OF EXETEAR, GATHER AROUND! I HAVE UNCOVERED THE TRUE REASON BEHIND THE FATE OF THE FAMILY GREY, AND OF THOSE UNFORTUNATE SOULS!'<p>

A bespectacled man shouted as loudly as he could, ushering people near the box he used as a stage. Soon enough, a curious gathering amassed despite the still cold weather. Winter had been abnormally heavy this year in this area.

Extinguishing what was left of his cigarette, Tyki Mikk crushed the offending item underneath his boots and extracted a fresh one from beneath his coat. He proceeded to light it up, despite the threatening aura emanating from the sworn enemy of smoking, Lulu Bell.

'Seems interesting enough. Let's go!', came his voice from far, far away. Or, thirty-and-a-half meters to be exact. Tiny little Eeez tottered behind him.

.

.

.

'NOW, citizens, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Darius Grey, and I am related to the Grey family you all know so much about. I have come today to tell you about what we have discovered!'

The crowd fell instantly into silence.

'We have been suspecting this for quite some time now, but it was only recently that my elder brother, John Grey, husband of the deceased Marie Grey and father of the deceased Olivia and Mercy Grey, decided to finally allow us to do what's right.'

A ripple of whispering broke out amongst the crowd. _What could the Grey family be hiding?_

Taking care to inhale in a dramatic fashion, Darius spoke anew.

'We suspected that one of the three deceased family members is a vampire.'

Collective gasps from the mass followed.

'Until recently, John Grey did not allow us to exhume their graves to see if our suspicion was truth. But even he eventually saw the error of his ways and realize that he could not protect what should not be protected, and we were allowed at last to peer into the graves of the Greys.

He clenched and unclenched his fists, an expression of utter grief and pain etched on his face.

'On the opening of their graves, both the bodies of Marie and Olivia Grey were significantly decomposed. It was evident that they were both truly dead. However… the body of Mercy Grey… was very well preserved. It looked as if she was simply asleep - plump and cheeks red from the blood of others!'

The crowd simply stood still.

'It is John's wish to put this matter to rest completely, so we are organizing a public execution of the Undead Mercy! To prove that the Vampire Mercy is no more! In exactly two hours, the execution will be carried out in this very spot.'

Darius stepped off the box and hurried away, brushing off any questions.

Tyki had dropped his cigarette. 'Well, what did you think of that, Lulu-Bell?'

'…Completely fabricated. He has obviously rehearsed this performance to a perfect, dramatic finish. Whatever reason was it that the Greys met with such a fate, it has nothing to do with the undead.'

'Eeez?'

'… I-I agree with Lulu Bell.'

* * *

><p>'Sooo, Lulu, it turns out you were right about the ghosts.'<p>

'Don't.'

'It wasn't ghosts, it was a vampire! This is turning into the perfect fiction novel! We could star us as the main heroes, right, Debitto?'

Debitto hit the head of his twin brother. 'Don't be silly. A story can't have two heroes! We should merge ourselves and-'

Mimi could not resist.' The adventures of Mister Anglerfish-Sunbear, now in all leading bookstores!'

'It does sound interesting,' laughed Eeez.

Tyki ruffled Eeez's hair. 'Eeez, don't do that. Simpletons like those don't get sarcasm.'

'HEY! TYKI-PET! WHO YA CALLING SIMPLETON!'

Lulu Bell rubbed her temples.

* * *

><p>Debitto and Jasdero kicked dirty lumps of snow, remnants of the harsh winter, with surprising accuracy on Tyki's coat.<p>

'Don't ruin it. This is my best coat.' said the latter in a monotone fashion.

Jasdero snorted. 'That's your only coat.'

'That's why you shouldn't dirty it.' came the reply.

The group had travelled near the border of the town.

'I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner.' Muttered a very defeated Lulu Bell. Eeez looked anywhere but at her.

'The signs were everywhere… abnormal weather, appearance of Akuma, but no Akuma attacks…'

_Innocence._

Eeez took it upon himself to fully explain his theory to the still confused part of the group. 'The Innocence present in this town has recently become active, forming a barrier that the Akuma cannot penetrate. It also changed the weather, but because this area has always experienced harsh conditions, everyone didn't take notice of it.'

Jasdero and Debitto both nodded understandingly, though said otherwise. 'Say what?'

'Dumb it down for them, Eeez.' Tyki prodded.

'There's Innocence in this town.'

'Ohh.'

.

.

.

'Then, the vampire thingy?'

'… Who knows? I don't think Innocence could have caused that.'

'We'll just have to wait it out for Mister Darius Grey, then.' Mimi concluded.

* * *

><p>A large crowd had gathered in the town square. Several carts and tents had been removed to make space for a large pile of wood and a crude wooden crucifix. A small, dirty coffin lay on the floor. Many of the onlookers brandished homemade weapons, such as knives tied to broom handles. Darius Grey suddenly broke out of the mass, with another man clutching a small cross.<p>

'Good afternoon, residents of Exetear! We will begin the obliterating of the Vampire Mercy now! May her soul find peace in the afterlife. John has declined to join us, for he fears the sight of his daughter's corpse.'

The crowd only had eyes for the coffin. The man held his cross closer to his bosom, and reached for the coffin cover, slowly pushing it away. With a creak and a final clattering of broken wood, the grave of Mercy Brown, tiny and filthy, was open at last.

'…She looks… not-dead.' said Tyki disbelievingly.

True, her cheeks were nothing like the delicate blossom pink of the living, and her flesh had gained a most peculiar translucent property. Her face was sunken, her body diminutive even in death. And yet her closed lids looked as if it would open at any moment, and her chest was not hollowed and had not collapsed. Her skin had remained firm and taut, lending her the appearance of the living.

'Now, we will begin the exorcism!'

The child's body was fastened to the wooden crucifix, her head lolling forwards and backwards in a horrifyingly morbid manner. A thick wooden stake was raised near her chest.

'No, no way…' murmured Mimi, her voice thick, as she turned away and shielded her face.

The rest of the group stared on along with the crowd, as if hypnotized.

And with a sickening _thud_, the stake was driven clean through the heart of Mercy's corpse. Blood, too fresh to belong to the dead, flowed like a macabre river. The broken organ was then taken out and put into a box; victims of Mercy would drink its ashes as a cure.

'Sickening humans.' said Lulu Bell quietly.

A saw had been passed to the man, now shaking and holding his cross so tightly that his knuckles were white. He inched forward once more and aligned the saw against the silver of pale skin revealed on the corpse's neck.

The crowd was silent, transfixed.

The head of what was Mercy fell to the ground_,_ but the open wound bled little. Someone was clearing a path between the crowds, and soon a third man arrived, holding a lit torch. Everyone stared mutely at the flickering light, watching as it was passed from one hand to another. They continued to stare at it being strategically lit and spread on the wood pile that now surrounded the crucifix. At it slowly rising and rising, and at last swallowing the body of Mercy, and burning and burning, until nothing was left.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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**A/N: **Wow, that was scary. Once again, thank you to the new beta aKiy0z, who's really reeeaaallly good at writing so if you're into okikagu please check out her fics.

What am I saying there's like 3 people reading this in total.

Anyways Chimera will be undergoing a rewrite of the early chapters so I don't need to plant my head in the nearest bush every time someone mentions them.

And NO romance, was the message your reviews generally gave, so no romance it is. Back to hidden-obvious-sexual-tension I see.

Please** review**, constructive criticism is good too. Just let me know that you've been here.


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